HC Deb 22 March 1888 vol 324 cc47-8
Dr. FOX (King's Co., Tullamore)

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, When he can arrange for the Land Commissioners to hear the large number of cases in the Edenderry Union, and so relieve the tenants from the hardships of further delay?

THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER SECRETARY (Colonel KING-HARMAN) (Kent, Isle of Thanet)

(who replied) said: A Sub-Commission will sit next month for that portion of the Edenderry Union which is in the County Meath. No sitting has yet been fixed for the other portions of the Union.

DR. FOX

Is the right hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that nearly four years have elapsed since a sitting has been held in the King's County Division, or know that there are several hundred cases to be disposed of?

COLONEL KING-HARMAN

If the hon. Gentleman will put a Notice on the Paper I will make inquiries.

MR. T. M. MEALY (Longford, N.)

This is a matter of very great importance. The right hon. and gallant Gentleman has stated several times that the Government were giving their most anxious consideration to this vital question. ["Order, order!"] If necessary, I will move the adjournment of the House, in order to call attention to the question as a matter of urgent public im portance. I wish to ask the right hon. and gallant Gentleman if he can give us any idea, as it is four years since the Sub-Commissioners sat in Edenderry Union, when his anxious consideration and the anxious consideration of the Government is supposed to begin, and when it is likely to come to a conclusion?

COLONEL KING-HARMAN

I should be exceedingly surprised if I discovered that it was four years, or anything approaching four years, since the Sub-Commissioners sat in the King's County Division of the Edenderry Union.

MR. T. W. RUSSELL (Tyrone, S.)

It is now four weeks ago since the right hon. and gallant Gentleman told me that the Government were anxiously considering whether they should increase the number of Sub-Commissioners. I wish to know whether the Government are not only going to take the question into consideration, but are going to keep it there?

MR. T. M. HEALY

I wish to ask the First Lord of the Treasury, as the Head of Her Majesty's Government, for an answer in reference to this important question, the delay in reference to which, he must be aware, is causing a number of tenants to be turned into caretakers. When will Her Majesty's Government be able to appoint a sufficient number of Sub-Commissioners to deal with the glut of Land Commissioners' work which now prevails in Ireland?

THE FIRST LORD (Mr. W. H. SMITH) (Strand, Westminster)

This matter has received, and is receiving, the very serious consideration of the Government, who are desirous of dealing with the question at the earliest possible moment. But it is one which requires very careful consideration. [An hon. MEMBER: Ten years.] Having regard to the fact that the Land Commission itself is on the point of expiring, there will be no delay whatever in dealing with the matter.