§ MR. MARUM (Kilkenny, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that certain perpetuity leases, such as leases for lives renewable for ever, whether converted under the Renewable Leasehold Conversion Act or not, and fee-farm grants executed since the 1st of January, 1861, are evictable interests within the Ejectment for Non-payment of Rent Code, and are not in the nature of purchase transactions; whether his attention has been called to the statement of the present Chancellor of the Exchequer upon occasion of amendments to the Land Bill of 1887 (now "The Land Law (Ireland) Act, 1887") with the view to include such evictable interests within the Section 1 affecting leaseholders, that in a future contemplated Purchase Bill such leaseholds would betaken into favourable consideration; whether he is aware that several leaseholders of the above character have been evicted for non-payment of rent in Ireland; and whether in the proposed Land Bill such leaseholds will be included amongst the holdings to be provided with further facilities for the purchase of land, or otherwise favourably considered?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR,) Manchester, E.I am advised that certain perpetuity leases referred to in the question are in the same position as regards eviction as leases for terms of years. The considerations referred to by the hon. Member appear to be equally applicable to long leaseholds as to the class of tenure mentioned. I have no information as to the matter of fact referred to in the third paragraph. As regards the inquiry in the last paragraph, the hon. Member will see the impropriety of my making a statement beating on the Laud Bill before its introduction.
§ MR. CRILLY (Mayo, N.)May I ask if the right lion. Gentleman will give any facilities for the passing of the Bill of the hon. Member for the Scotland Division of Liverpool (Mr. T. P. O'Connor) on this subject?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURWhen that Bill comes on for discussion, I shall have to state the views of the Government upon it.