§ MR. ARTHUR O'CONNOR (Donegal, E.)I beg to ask Mr. Solicitor General if he is aware that several hundreds of cases, served for hearing before the 1st November, 1887, in the Land Courts in the Union of Stranorlar alone, are still undealt with, and that the tenants are being processed in large numbers at every sessions for the old rents; and, whether he can account for the extraordinary delay in hearing these cases?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe Land Commissioners report that there are 484 cases from the Union of Stranorlar unheard, and which were received before November 1, 1887. I am not aware that the tenants are being processed in large numbers for the old rents. But even were such the case, their interests are safe-guarded by the existing statutes. A Sub-Commission has been sitting continuously in County Donegal since September, 1888, and the several unions have been taken up in their turn. The last sitting for the union referred to was in December, 1888, and there will be another sitting early next Circuit for the same district. All the Sub-Commissions have been working continuously throughout Ireland and are constantly engaged. It has not been possible to arrange for more frequent sittings. The Commissioners anticipate that if the Bill introduced this week by the Government becomes law this Session, the disposal of outstanding applications to fix judicial rents will be much expedited.