§ MR. SHEEHAN (Kerry, E.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he is aware that Lord Kenmare, through his agent, has served notice on the High Sheriff of Kerry not to execute any civil bill decree for arrears of Poor Rate against tenants on his property until there had been paid to him under the Statute 9 Anne, c. 8, such arrears not exceeding one year's rent as may be due at the date of seizure; if he is aware that the rate collectors for the Killarney Board of Guardians have on several occasions applied for a magistrate's warrant to levy the amount of rates due as provided by the Irish Poor Relief Acts, and that the magistrates of the district (of whom Lord Kenmare's agent is one) have persistently refused to issue their warrant; if he will state whether the Justices in so refusing have acted legally; and what steps the Irish Government intend to take in the matter?
MR. J. MORLEYI understand that it is true that decrees for rates obtained against tenants of Lord Kenmare cannot be executed owing to the fact that the notice indicated in the question has been served on the High Sheriff in every case in which the tenant owes rent. It is not, however, a fact that the magistrates refused to sign warrants for the execution of decrees for rates. They refused to address the warrants to the police, and in this respect they conformed to the general practice. The landlord is apparently acting within his rights under the Statute 9 Anne, cap 8, but whether this enactment conforms to modern ideas is another matter.
§ MR. M. KENNYAre not the collectors of the rates entitled to insist that the warrant should be executed?