§ MR. M'CARTAN (Down, S.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether, considering the hardship and expense involved in bringing the Magherafelt tenants to the sitting of the Land Commission at Belfast, and 216 tenants and their witnesses from Carrickmacross to Dundalk, he will advise the Land Commission in future to hold sittings, if required, at Quarter Sessions towns—such as Magherafelt and Carrickmacross—for hearing appeals from the adjoining districts, in order that tenants may be in a position to attend with a sufficient number of witnesses to give proper evidence on appeal?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.), in reply, said, he would be glad to bring this matter before the Land Commissioners on their return from the country, where they were hearing appeals.
§ MR. M'CARTANasked, was the right hon. Gentleman aware that of the Magherafelt tenants more than half had been obliged to withdraw their cases, and that they could not pay the further expense necessary to continue their applications; and, whether such an arrangement would not leave the tenants utterly at the mercy of the landlords?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURsaid, he had no information on the point; but he would remind the hon. Member that, though he had made suggestions to the Land Commissioners, he had no control over the Land Commission.