HC Deb 04 December 1888 vol 331 cc1014-5
MR. M'CARTAN (Down, S.)

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether considering that, even with the addition of the 10 Sub-Commissioners to be appointed, it will take some years to fix the fair rents in the cases where applications were made to the Land Commission before November, 1887, and where the tenants are entitled to the benefit of the fair rent from May, 1887, he will now appoint such an additional number as will be able to have the fair rents fixed promptly and without further delay?

THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)

As the hon. Gentleman will readily understand, there are serious objections to any attempt to deal with the arrears of work by a mere augmentation without limit of the number of Sub-Commissioners. I have done my best to increase the efficiency of the Sub-Commissions by a somewhat different distribution of the work. As the House is aware, I attempted to deal with the question by legislation; but the Bill, through want of time, has been dropped.

In reply to further Questions,

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

explained that under the old system the legal Sub-Commissioner had less to do than the lay Sub-Commissioners, and his time was not fully occupied by the work which one Sub-Commission could give him. Now, it had been arranged to have three pairs of lay Sub-Commissioners, working with one legal Sub-Commissioner, and this arrangement greatly increased the efficiency of the Sub-Commissions. Ten additional Sub-Commissioners had been appointed; but he did not give up the hope of being able to deal with the general question in a more satisfactory manner by legislation next Session.

MR. FLYNN (Cork, N.)

asked if the right hon. Gentleman was aware that, while thousands of cases were waiting to be heard, the people were being evicted for the arrears of rent which were accumulating, although notices of application for the fixing of a fair rent were served as early as September, 1887?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

said, he never liked to give an opinion off-hand; but he did not think there were any such cases.