§ MR. KNOXI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that a number of evictions were recently carried out on Lord Downshire's property near Hill-town, County Down; what was the date of the ejectments and of the notices under Section 7 of the Land Act of 1887 (if any) in these cases; whether he is aware that in one case the rent had been raised from 7s. 6d. to 23s. an acre, though the land chiefly consists of boulders and whins; and that one of the 1040 houses was fired after eviction, and a small child left by the police in the burning house; how many police were engaged on the evictions; and who will pay for their services?
§ MR. BRYCE (for Mr. J. MORLEY)Four tenants were evicted on this estate on November 30 and 1st instant. In one case the eviction notice was served in March, 1888, in two cases in March, 1889, and in the remaining case in July, 1891. I am informed that the rent was not in any of these cases raised from 7s. 6d. to 23s. per acre, and that in no case does it exceed 16s. per acre. The land is no doubt poor. It is not a fact that a house was fired after eviction or that a child was left in the burning house; it appears, however, that at one of the houses some bushes and other materials were set on fire to fill the house with smoke and thus to cause annoyance to the bailiffs. Nine police were engaged on the first day of the evictions, and seven on the second day, and their expenses will be defrayed from the Constabulary Vote.