HC Deb 10 July 1888 vol 328 cc879-81
MR. FLYNN (Cork, N.)

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If he is aware that the Land Sub-Commissioners, now sitting at Kanturk, arrive there from Killarney each day at 11 a.m. to open their Court, and return therefrom to Killarney at 3.30 p.m.; whether there is ample and adequate hotel accommodation in Kanturk or in the near town of Mallow to accommodate the members of the Sub-Commission; and, whether, in view of the fact that there are a large number of tenants applying to have fair rents fixed, who together with a number of witnesses and professional gentlemen have to attend at Kanturk day after day at much expense, he will communicate with the Land Commission that they may represent to the said Sub-Commissioners the propriety of keeping the Court open for a greater number of hours each day?

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

The Land Commissioners inform me that the legal Assistant Commissioner of the Sub-Commission sitting at Kanturk reports that it is not the fact that there was ample and adequate hotel accommodation for the Sub-Commission at Kanturk. Although Mallow is nearer to Kanturk than Killarney, yet, as the Commission had to sit also at Millstreet, which is nearer to Killarney, and there was no adequate hotel accommodation at Millstreet, Killarney was considered the most convenient place for the headquarters of the Sub-Commission. In the few cases in which professional men other than those residing in Kanturk were engaged, the hearing in Court took place at a time previously fixed. There is no reason known to the Sub-Commission to exist for believing that any of the parties or witnesses were put to inconvenience. The hours of sitting at Kanturk were from 11 o'clock to within a few minutes of 4 o'clock p.m. They further point out that the Kanturk cases which have been already heard will be sufficient to occupy the time at the disposal of the Sub-Commissioners for inspection this month.

THE LORD MAYOR OF DUBLIN (Mr. SEXTON) (Belfast, W.)

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the hotel accommodation, which is not good enough for the Sub-Commissioners, is good enough for the Recorder of Cork?

MR. FLYNN

; Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Sub-Commissioners adjourned the Court yesterday, and will not probably sit again until October; and that, in the meantime, a large number of cases remain unheard?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

I am not aware.