§ MR. ARTHUR O'CONNOR (Donegal, E.)asked the First Lord of the Treasury, In whom is the appointment of Registrars of Irish Land Sub-Commissions vested; whether he is aware of any instances or occasions in which the Land Commissioners (and suitors in their Courts) have had cause for dissatisfaction with the want of efficiency displayed by any of their Sub-Registrars, who were appointed from the open market without having had previous experience of Land Commission business; whether it would be possible for the Land Commissioners, if future appointments become necessary, to make some temporary arrangement whereby the duties of Sub-Commission Registrars could be performed by members of their own staff who are acquainted with such duties, and who, from their continued connection with the office, might be expected to discharge the functions of Sub-Registrars in the country with satisfaction to the Chief Commissioners; whether clerks on the staff of the Commission have, by reason of their past services, a prior claim to any increased emolument that might arise out of their temporary employment as Sub-Registrars; and, whether he will consider the expediency of having some alteration made in the present mode of selection of Sub-Registrars, whereby an efficient performance of their duties, which is of such importance to the public, can be guaranteed?
§ THE FIRST LORD (Mr. W. H. SMITH) (Strand, Westminster)The 1090 appointment of Registrars to Sub-Commissioners is vested, by the Act of 1881, in the Irish Land Commissioners. The Commissioners have not had occasion, except in one instance, to feel or express dissatisfaction with the performance of his duties by any Sub-Registrar, nor are they aware that suitors have, in any case, expressed such dissatisfaction. All the present Sub-Registrars are men who have had long experience in their business. Whenever a temporary arrangement for the discharge of a Sub-Registrar's duties becomes necessary it is the practice of the Commissioners to make provision for it by means of a person already on the staff of the Department. As to future appointments to the office, the Commissioners will continue to exercise the discretion vested in them according to their judgment.