§ MR. M'CARTAN (Down, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that Charles Murray, of Ravana, Union of Newtownards, served originating notice to fix fair rent on his landlord, the Marquis of Londonderry, on 28th October, 1887, thereby entitling him to the benefit of the reduced rent from 1st May, 1887, but up to the present he has been unable to get his fair rent fixed, and his application now appears in the list of cases to be heard at the next sitting of the Sub-Commission at Newtownards; whether he is aware that since the publication of this list, and within the last week, the Marquis of Londonderry has caused an eviction notice (under Section 7 of "The Land Law (Ireland) Act, 1887") to be served upon this tenant, thereby converting Murray into a caretaker, and depriving him of the right to have a fair rent fixed, though he was in no way responsible for the delay in having the application heard; and, whether, considering the practice now resorted to by landlords in Ireland, which has the effect of depriving tenants from the benefits of the Land Acts, in cases where the delay was on the part of the Irish Executive, he will take steps to secure to the tenants the rights intended to be conferred upon them by the Legislature.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURBefore the notice referred to was served it was open to the tenant to apply to have the proceedings stayed, pending the fixing of a judicial rent, and the County Court Judge had power to comply with the application, if, in his opinion, the circumstances warranted it. It is still open to the tenant to redeem within the statutable period of six months. The rights of tenants are amply safeguarded under the existing statutes, the benefits of which they could not be deprived of save through their own default.
In reply to a further question by Mr. M 'CARTAN,
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURsaid: I have no reason to believe that this tenant offered to pay two and a half years' rent and was refused. I have no information of that fact.