§ MR. P. O'BRIEN (Monaghan, N.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether he has received any information that Mr. S. E. Shirley intends evicting 32 families on his Farney Estate, in the County Monaghan, on the 22nd instant; whether it is a fact that the tenants to be evicted offered to pay one and a half year's rent before eviction proceedings were instituted, which offer was refused by Mr. Shirley; whether it is a fact that the ten-ants on this estate have served Mr. Shirley with the necessary originating notices, preparatory to going into the Land Court to have fair rents fixed; whether it is true that, since the service of these originating notices, Mr. Shirley has caused 200 additional processes of ejectment to be served; and, whether it is true that an extra force of 200 police has been drafted into Carrickmacross for the purpose of turning these 32 families out of their homos in this inclement season; and, if so, whether, pending the decisions of the Land Court in their cases, he will withhold the sanction to the forces of the Crown being used for the purpose of carrying out the eviction of the tenantry on this estate, which numbers 2,000, and represents about 12,000 persons?
§ THE FIRST LORD of the TREASURY (Mr. W. U. Smith) (Strand, Westminster)(who replied) said: The hon. Gentleman knows that many Questions are on the Paper to-day of which no Notice has been given. I believe that this Question only appeared on the Question Paper at 2 o'clock this afternoon. It is, therefore, impossible to answer it.
§ MR. P. O'BRIENI may inform the right hon. Gentleman that the Question was on the Paper two days ago. I received a very characteristic evasive answer from the Chief Secretary; and I put it down again on the Paper of yesterday, having intimated to the Chief Secretary that I would do so. As the evictions are taking place to-day, the right hon. Gentleman might have taken the trouble to send a telegram to the place.
§ MR. SPEAKEROrder, order!
§ DR. TANNERHear, hear!