HC Deb 18 May 1893 vol 12 cc1236-7
MR. WILLIAM JOHNSTON (Belfast, S.)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware, as has been stated in The Daily Express of 10th May, 1893, that cattle, the property of Mr. Matthew Bates, Primrose Lodge, Carnew, have been seized for rent duo to the hon. Member for West Kerry; whether he is aware that an ejectment has been taken out by the same landlord against the orphan children of the late John Bolton, of Gorey; and that these two families are Protestants, and have been recently visited by severe family affliction; and whether he will refuse to allow the Forces of the Crown to be employed in carrying out these legal processes?

MR. J. MORLEY

I am informed that the facts are substantially as stated in the question. It is not anticipated that the Forces of the Crown will be requisitioned for the ejectment referred to, the ugh if such a requisition should be made I shall have no choice in the matter.

MR. JOHNSTON

Is it not a fact that the Forces of the Crown will not be required owing to the circumstance that these people are Protestants?

SIR THOMAS ESMONDE (Kerry, W.)

By the indulgence of the house I may be allowed to state, with reference to the question of the hon. Member for South Belfast, that in the case of Mr. Bates his holding is an agricultural holding, the rent of which has been fixed by arbitration. The old rent was £41. The arbitration rent is £25. The Poor Law valuation of the holding is £29, and the acreage 75 acres. When the arbitration rent was fixed in 1889, arrears to the amount of £151 14s. 2d. were wiped out. In addition to the rent for which the Sheriff lately seized, Mr. Bates still owes £26 4s. 2d.—over a year's rent. I may add that in this case proceedings have been allowed to lie over for several months. Seizures were being made at the suits of other creditors, some of whom, I understand, are co-religionists of Mr. Bates. The seizure to which the question refers was not made at my suit only, but at the suit of another creditor also. In the case of the representatives of John Bolton, the holding is a town holding, consisting of a he use, yard, and garden situated in the main street of the town of Gorey, the rent of which is £18 9s. In 1886, at the late Mr. Bolton's request, I spent £200 in improving his he use. There is now duo on the holding £97 12s. 3d., over five years' rent. I may add that I offered to take £50 in lieu of arrears, and to reduce the rent to £15 per annum; but that offer was not accepted.