§ MR. DILLON (Mayo, E.)I wish to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether it is a fact that a large force of military and police are engaged to-day evicting the tenants of The O'Grady at Herbertstown, County Limerick, and how he reconciles this fact with the statement that no evictions will now take place in Ireland for some months?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (), Manchester, E.in reply, said, he was not aware of the fact which the hon. Gentleman alleged; but there could be no doubt, he believed, as to the interpretation of the Act. There could, of course, be evictions of tenants of over £100 a-year rent, and there could be evictions on titles; but, as the hon. Gentleman knew, it was impossible under the Land Law (Ireland) Act to evict in other classes than those two classes of tenants.
§ MR. DILLONsaid, his information was that the evictions were going on at the present moment, and that the last telegrams were of a rather serious nature.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURsaid, he was afraid he had no information to give 472 the hon. Gentleman; but it appeared to him that if the hon. Gentleman represented the facts accurately the people concerned were acting illegally.