§ MR. SEXTONasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether Messrs. Burke, Mahony, and Gray, of the Donegal Sub-Commission, gave judgment, on the 27th March last, in 84 cases, on the property of Captain Hill, reducing the rents by 38 per cent; whether, in consequence of pressure from the landlords concerned, Mr. Gray was removed to Cork soon after the judgments in question, and Mr. Sproule appointed in his stead; whether, about the same time, the Sub-Commission was made single, with the result that the legal member, Mr. Burke, himself formerly a land agent, went out inspecting farms; whether, soon after these changes, the Sub-Commission, composed of Messrs. Burke, Mahony, and Sproule, gave judgment in 188 cases from the same estate (that of Captain Hill) dealt with in 346 March, and the applications in which had been lodged at the same time, and whether the reduction given was only 25 per cent, or 13 per cent less than in March; whether Mr. Sproule, in 42 cases, desired a smaller reduction, whilst Mr. Mahony, in 54 cases, held that it should be greater; whether Mr. Sproule was continued in office, while Mr. Mahony, although he had been appointed in the first group of Sub-Commissioners in November 1881, and men appointed more recently were still retained on the staff, was discharged from office; whether Mr. Mahony's place on the Donegal Sub-Commission was filled by the appointment of Mr. Comyn; whether, in dealing with the Duke of Abercorn's estate in Tyrone, Mr. Comyn had opposed any reduction of the rents, but Mr. Mahony had declared reductions should be given, and Mr. Mahony's view was upheld by the majority of the Sub-Commission, and confirmed on appeal; whether, in consequence of the removal of the Sub-Commissioners who gave judgment favourable to tenants, the occupiers of Gweedore and Clo-haneely have ceased to use the Court; and, whether, in view of the facts set forth, the Donegal Sub-Commission will be now reorganised?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANIt will, perhaps, be most convenient if I deal with the paragraphs of this Question seriatim. I am informed by the Land Commission as follows:—(1.) Reductions were made as stated. (2.) This is incorrect. Mr. Gray was not transferred on account of pressure from any person; and Mr. Sproule had been a member of the Sub-Commission prior to Mr. Gray's transfer. (3.) If Mr. Bourke, the Legal Commissioner, went out with his colleagues inspecting farms, he was within his right, it being optional with a Legal Sub-Commissioner to do so or not. (4.) The reductions made by the reconstituted Sub-Commission amounted to 26.5 per cent. (5.) Amongst these cases Mr. Sproule dissented from the judgment of his colleagues in 33—Mr. Mahony in 46. (6.) Mr. Sproule was re-appointed after the 31st of July; Mr. Mahony was not. Comparative length of service gave no claim for continuance in this temporary office. (7.) This is correct. (8.) In nine cases of appeal from the Duke of Abercorn's estate, the decisions of the Sub-Com- 347 missioners were upheld in four, and the judicial rents reduced in five. I cannot say what the personal views of the Sub-Commissioners were. (9.) I am not aware of any ground for this statement. During the last six months 197 applications to have fair rents fixed have been received from County Donegal, and 59 have been withdrawn by consent. (10.) There is no intention of reorganizing the Sub-Commission.