§ MR. JORDAN (Clare, W.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether on the last occasion on which the Chief Commissioners, under Land Act, 1881, sat in the county of Clare, they did so only for two days; whether then they did not decide more than one-third of the appeals from the Sub - Commissioners in that county; whether a very large number of appeals now await their decision; whether W. H. Frost, of Ennis, only one of the solicitors in Clare, is attorney for 260 appeals; whether rents in some of these appeals have been fixed by the Sub-Commissioners two years ago; whether 467 the attention of the Head Commissioners will be directed to this state of affairs; when may a final decision be expected in these numerous cases; and, whether, to accommodate the poor farmers of West Clare, the Chief Commissioners will hold a court in Kilrush, which is the chief town in that Division of the county, and is 20 miles from Ennis?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Sir MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH) (Bristol, W.)The Land Commissioners report that they sat at Ennis for six days in last March, and at the close of their sitting had heard nearly two-thirds of the appeals from the county of Clare. It is nevertheless true that a large number of cases are pending, and that some of them are of two years' standing. The Commissioners will use their best exertions to get on with these cases. Some will be heard in April at Limerick—others at Ennis in July. Having regard to the general convenience, they cannot arrange to sit at Kilrush. The statement in the Question with regard to Mr. W. H. Frost appears to be entirely erroneous. He is, I am informed, solicitor in two appeal cases—not 260 as stated.