§ MR. SEXTON (Belfast, W.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord 226 Lieutenant of Ireland how many families are affected by the impending evictions on the Olphert estate in the county Donegal; whether he is aware that these families are in such extremity of distress that they are at present being maintained by means of a public charitable fund administered by the Bishop of Raphoe; whether he has caused any inquiry to be made as to the equity of these evictions; whether he is willing to use his influence with the landlord to promote an arbitration; and when it is proposed to carry out the evictions?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI understand that the number of evictions on the Olphert estate to be forthwith carried out is 23, though the number of decrees is 66. I am informed that there is a fund for supporting the tenants driven out of their holdings through the Plan of Campaign in January. I believe that the tenants have paid their rents into the war chest; that if the Plan were abandoned a settlement might easily be come to with the landlord; and that it is the promoters of the Plan, and they alone, who are responsible for the misery which has been or which may be inflicted in the district.
§ MR. SEXTONDoes the right hon. Gentleman suggest that the landlord should not follow the precedent set in the case of the Mandeville estate, and that he should not enter into negotiations which may lead to a settlement without first insisting on the abandonment of the Plan of Campaign which would place the tenants at the mercy of the landlord?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURIt is not for me to say what the tenants ought to do. If they would make a reasonable offer there would be no difficulty in coming to a settlement. I think the Plan of Campaign now stands in the way of a settlement, as it holds the rents.
§ MR. SEXTONIs not the right hon. Gentleman aware that in every case in which settlements have been come to, the Plan of Campaign promoters have immediately released the rents?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI do not know that that proposition is perfectly correct. I have heard of cases in which the tenants have asked, but failed to get their money back. But my point is that unless the promoters of the Plan of Campaign give their assent to the arrangement which the tenants may be 227 willing to enter into, the tenants cannot make it, or else they will lose their money.
§ MR. SEXTONBut if the promoters of the Plan of Campaign indicate their readiness to hand over the money from what is called the "war chest" in the event of a settlement, what difficulty is there in taking steps to secure an agreement?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI am perfectly certain that the landlord is desirous of making a settlement on fair terms, but the negotiations should be conducted with him and not with me.