MR. M'CAETANasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware of the dissatisfaction given in the Union of Kilkeel, county Down, by the alterations made by the Land Commission in the judicial rents for the year 1888; whether he is aware that the Judicial Rents in this Union have been increased where such Rents were fixed in 1884 or 1885; whether he is aware that this Union chiefly consists of mountainous land, and covers the poorest district in the county Down, and that the value of the crops for 1888 in Kilkeel Union is estimated at about one-half of those of the previous year, when substantial reductions were given; and whether he will give the particulars which influenced the Land Commission in arriving at the alterations published in their last Schedule?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe Land Commissioners inform me that a small increase has been made for 1888 in the Judicial Rents fixed in the Union of Kilkeel, county Down, in 1884 and 1885, the increase in respect of each of these years being respectively 5¼d. and 3d. in the pound. As regards paragraph three, the hon. Member must be aware that the automatic alteration of Rents is based, not on yield, but on prices.