§ MR. SEXTON (for Mr. HEALY)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If it is the fact that, 887 since the passing of the Land Act of 1881, there has been a remarkable increase in the grants of probate and administration all over Ireland; whether, in view of the refusal of the Land Commissioners and the growing reluctance of landlords to recognise as tenants persons who have not taken out administration, the Government will remove the restrictions which prevent section 33 of "The Customs and Inland Revenue Act, 1881," being more generally availed of, so that the sons and widows of deceased tenants may cheaply obtain administration direct from the local Inland Revenue officers, without having to visit the city where the supervisor resides; and, will the Government, in view of the beneficent effect of section 33, and the great saving of legal expenses which poor persons may effect by its provisions where the personal estate is under £300, take steps to render them more widely known to persons of the farming class, whom the expense of a legal process now frequently hinders from taking out administration, and thus prevents the recognition of their status as tenants?
§ MR. COURTNEYThere has been since 1882 a considerable increase in the number of grants of probate and administration, apparently due to the working of the Land Act. I am informed that the practice of the Land Commission has always been to allow any person beneficially interested in a tenancy to avail himself of the benefit of the Land Act as applicant, though no administration had been taken out, but to suspend the issuing of the order until the grant is produced. The only exception to this rule is where it is believed there is a desire to evade, from some improper motive, the taking out of a grant. It is the desire of the Inland Revenue Department to give every facility for the working of the 33rd section of the Customs and Inland Revenue Act, 1881. Inland Revenue officers not necessarily supervisors have been appointed to work it in every town where any necessity appeared. The Chairman of the Board will be glad to receive any suggestions which may be made to him by the hon. Member, or any other person, as to any mode of making more widely known to persons of the farming class the facilities that now exist for the taking of grants.