§ MR. M'CARTAN (Down, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he has received a copy of resolutions adopted at a meeting of tenant farmers held in Downpatrick on the 19th instant, expressing indignation and alarm at the decisions given by the Chief Land Commission in cases of appeal heard there on the previous day; whether he is aware 699 that substantial increases of rent were made in a largo number of cases where the landlords had appealed, but that in every instance where the appeal was made by the tenant, the Land Commission confirmed the rents; whether in any case of appeal the Chief Commission at Downpatrick made any alteration in the rent except to increase it; whether all these appeals were decided after any inspection of the farms by the Chief Commission, or by any court valuer on their behalf; and, whether, considering the want of confidence in the Land Commission, expressed in the resolutions referred to, he will take steps to add to the Commission some person having the confidence of the farmers?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI have seen a newspaper cutting containing resolutions of the kind referred to in the first paragraph of the question; but I have received no Report as yet on the subject from the Land Commission. As regards the last paragraph, I do not think that the fact that a decision has been given adverse to one of the litigants in the case, and that the litigant objects, is necessarily a ground for withdrawing confidence from the tribunal, or for modifying its constitution.