§ MR. D. SULLIVAN (Westmeath, S.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether on the estate of Captain Dawson, at Tang, in the County Westmeath, both landlord and tenants have joined to have a fair rent fixed, and originating notices were served on the 19th December, 1885; whether the cases have been tried; and, if not, will he state the cause of the delay? I also beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether the tenants of Colonel Magill, near Athlone, in the County Westmeath, served originating notices, on the 3rd December, 1885, to have judicial rents fixed; whether these cases have yet been tried; and, if not, will he state the cause of the delay? I further beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether, on the estates of Lord Castlemaine, Colonel Cooper, Colonel Grogan, and Mr. Frederick Russell, near Athlone, in the County Westmeath, the tenants served originating notices on the landlords, in December 1885, for the purpose of having judicial rents fixed; whether the cases have yet been tried; and, if not, will he state the cause of the delay?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Sir MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH) (Bristol, W.)The Land Commissioners report that on the several estates mentioned in these Questions 10 cases in all are pending since December, 1885. They were set down for hearing in the Mullingar list for April last, but were not reached before the sitting was unavoidably adjourned. It is hoped they will all be decided in May, when a Sub-Commission will, it is expected, sit in the County Westmeath.
§ MR. TUITE (Westmeath, N.)Mr. Speaker, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether the Captain Dawson mentioned in the first Question is the Captain Dawson who gave 25 per cent 159 reduction to his tenants under the Plan of Campaign?
§ SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACHI do not know.