§ MR. GILHOOLY (Cork, W.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether 400 originating notices to have fair rents fixed have been served in the Bantry District on or about last September; whether only 24 have been listed for hearing; and, whether, in view of the fact that 584 several of the landlords in that district have taken legal proceedings to recover the present exorbitant rents, he will provide a remedy for this state of affairs?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)The Land Commissioners inform mo there were 214 applications to fix fair rents lodged with them during the month of September last by tenants in the Poor Law Union of Bantry. A Sub-Commission has been working in the County of Cork since November 1 last, and will continue there until the end of July; but the Commissioners have been unable, consistently with the claims of other Unions, to list more than 25 cases from the Bantry Union. That number includes all applications lodged up to September 26 last. As regards the concluding portion of the Question, the District Inspector of Constabulary reports that, so far as he can at present ascertain, no landlords have taken proceedings to recover rent in the Bantry District in the manner alleged.
§ MR. GILHOOLYsaid, he was in possession of information to the effect that landlords were taking legal proceedings against these tenants for the recovery of the exorbitant rents.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURsaid, he should be happy to receive any information that the hon. Gentleman could lay before him.