§ SIR GEORGE TREVELYAN (Glasgow, Bridgeton)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in view of the labour which would be involved in preparing a Return for the whole of Ireland of the number of tenants made caretakers under Section 7 of the Land Act of 1887, and subsequently re-instated as tenants in full possession of their rights, whether a Return could be prepared over certain districts sufficiently large to enable an approximate judgment to be formed; and whether the Government will consent to give such a Return for the county in each of the four Provinces of Ireland in which most notices of ejectment have been served?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe suggested Return would, no doubt, be very interesting and important if it could be obtained. But I am not sure that the necessary information could be procured from any official sources. And I would point out that while the right hon. Gentleman admits the labour that would be involved in attempting in an unofficial way to collect the details, his present proposal is that the attempt should be made where the labour would be greatest. I must also point out that even were the attempt made the result would not afford a safe ground for calculation as to what had happened in other parts of Ireland, since the eviction notices are naturally highest in counties where illegal conspiracies have prevented settlements between landlord and tenant.