HC Deb 17 July 1893 vol 14 cc1687-9
SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETT (Sheffield, Ecclesall)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that a caretaker named Noonan, who had been evicted for nonpayment of six years' rent, amounting to nearly £400, owing to Mrs. Elizabeth Gladstone, of Doon County Limerick, carried away hay, to the value of £250, by the aid of a crowd of neighbours from the mountains; whether Mrs. Gladstone was only refused compensation on the technical ground that this removal was a larceny rather than a malicious injury; whether he is aware that Noonan's farm has since been boycotted, and that caretakers are maintained on it at great expense, and no one dare take the farm owing to the fact that a Land League hut has been erected close by; whether he is aware that Mrs. Gladstone has now 62 acres of grass land, producing over 100 tons of hay, which she cannot get cut and carried owing to the terrorism of the League; and what steps the Government propose to take in order to give protection to Mrs. Gladstone, so as to enable her to obtain her rights and realise the value of her property?

THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. J. MORLEY, Newcastle-upon-Tyne)

I am informed that Noonan was evicted in February last for nonpayment of six years' rent as stated, but that since that date he has not carried away any hay from the farm. As mentioned by me in reply to a previous question on the subject by the hon. Gentleman, Noonan, in August, 1892, being then in possession, cut and removed the hay from the holding; the value of this hay is represented to me as being less than £70, and not £250 as alleged. The Grand Jury did not refuse compensation on the technical ground stated in the question; on the contrary, that Body awarded Mrs. Gladstone a sum of £100; but the ratepayers traversed the presentment, which the Judge dismissed. Since the eviction the farm has been cared by two men at an expense of about 30s. a week; and, as already pointed out, there is no interference with these men, and they are not boycotted in any way. Noonan is, with Mrs. Gladstone's sanction, I understand, living in the house from which he was evicted, though, it is true, his son is living in a hut near the farm. There are about 54 acres of grass land on the evicted farm, producing about a ton of hay per acre, and the police have no reason to think that the cutting of this crop will be interfered with.

SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETT

I understand the right hon. Gentleman to say that this man Noonan was evicted in February this year, and that when he removed the hay with the help of a mob of his neighbours, or of people from the neighbourhood, he was in possession as a caretaker only. Well, my information is—[Cries of "Order!"] Will the right hon. Gentleman make further inquiries to ascertain whether it is not a fact that Noonan was evicted on April 8, 1892, and was only holding the land as caretaker at the time he removed the crop? I would also ask whether it is not a fact that this lady was refused by the Court the compensation granted her by the Grand Jury on the technical ground that, as no actual violence was used, the case was one of theft, rather than of malicious injury?

MR. J. MORLEY

So far as my information goes, the Grand Jury could not traverse the claim on the ground that the action was a theft.

SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETT

I did not say the Grand Jury.

MR. J. MORLEY

I mean the ratepayers could not. As for the other part of the question, I do not doubt the information supplied to me; but I will ask again if the hon. Gentleman likes.

SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETT

Then I wish to put the most important question of all. Is this lady now able to get her crop cut and removed? Is she not running a risk of losing her property owing to the terrorism of the League?

MR. J. MORLEY

I have already answered the question definitely on the 11th of this month.

SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETT

But has the crop been cut and carried?

MR. J. MORLEY

I cannot say.

SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETT

Why not?

MR. J. MORLEY

Because it is not the point. I repeat that the police have no reason to think that Mrs. Gladstone will be prevented from saving her hay crop, or that there will be any interference with any persons she may engage.

SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETT

I wish to know whether it is not a fact that it has been found impossible to cut this crop owing to the terrorism in the neighbourhood? Then I give notice that, owing to the very serious inaccuracy of the right hon. Gentleman's information, I shall bring the matter before the House on the Irish Estimates.

MR. J. MORLEY

Whatever inaccuracy there may be is on the side of the right hon. Gentleman. I deny absolutely that there is any inaccuracy in what I have stated.