RESOLUTION. (Hansard, 18 April 1893)

§ SIR T. LEA (Londonderry, S.)
rose— To call attention to the Purchasers of Land tinder the Irish Church Act of 1869; and to move for a Select Committee to inquire into the condition of such Purchasers, as well as those under the Purchase Clauses of the Irish Land Acts of 1870 and 1881, and report, if any, and what steps can be taken for their relief. This Notice would affect a considerable number of tenant farmers over the whole of Ireland, and though it had been on the Paper for four weeks, he had been prevented from bringing it forward by the Government having taken the whole of the time of the House. Although the Motion had the sympathy of all parties in Ireland, and although it had been on the Paper so long, he had only lately received notice that the Treasury did not approve of it. He could not conceive what objection they could have to it. It was only a Motion for inquiry, and he was not aware that a single Irish Member would offer opposition. He should have been ready to go into the matter in detail had time permitted. All he would now say was that the Irish Church purchasers, practically compelled by the Prime Minister in 1870, had paid 25 years' purchase for their holdings, and 6 or 8 per cent. on the money they had borrowed from the Loans Commissioners. All he asked was that a Committee should be appointed to inquire into the matter.

§ MR. T. M. HEALY (Louth, N.)
said, that the Chief Secretary for Ireland, after his long and powerful speech just now, would hardly be prepared to go into this question. He (Mr. Healy) was glad that the hon. Member for South Londonderry had obtained an opportunity of bringing forward his measure. No doubt in South Derry there were a considerable number of gentlemen who had come under the Purchase Act, but he would like to know what was the present number of those tenants, and what was the exact plan the hon. Member proposed to lay before the Committee? The position of the tenants of the North of Ireland, so far as he (Mr. Healy) could understand it, was this— they took advantage of every movement won for them by the exertions of people in the other Provinces, and then the Member for South Tyrone or South Derry, who had never hurt a nail of his little finger, or spent an hour in gaol, came forward and abused the Nationalist Members.

§ SIR T. LEA
I abused nobody.

§ MR. T. M. HEALY
said, those hon. Members came forward and described the Irish Members as the lowest of the low, and as persons not to be trusted in any respect. As a matter of fact, Ulster would have to sink or swim with the other three Provinces of Ireland. As to these laud grievances of Ulster— "Ulster must fight, and Ulster would be right." Ulster should attach the "do nothing" Members in the House—such as the Member for South Tyrone, the Member for South Derry, or the Member for Antrim, and then, no doubt, there would be ample opportunity afforded for putting pressure on the Government. The hon. Member opposite (Sir T. Lea)—he begged his pardon — the hon. "Baronet"— he wondered the late Government had not made him a Duke—had not condescended to explain the Motion. If he (Mr. Healy) had had any notice that this Motion was coming on, he should have sought some information as to the exact grievances of these tenants.