§ MR. T. W. RUSSELLI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether, in view of the fact that many of the judicial leases, under the Land Act of 1881, will shortly expire, necessitating the refixing of the rents, he will consent to the appointment of a Select Committee next Session to inquire into the working of the Fair Rent Clauses of the Act, and the principles upon which the Land Commission has proceeded, especially in regard to the question of tenants' improvements?
MR. J. MORLEYIn this question, which is an important one, the hon. Member talks of the judicial leases "shortly expiring." I must point out to him that no originating notice for a rehearing or refixing of a judicial rent can be lodged until August, 1895, at the earliest, and that a further statutory term cannot commence until the expiration of 12 months from that date. The important circumstance mentioned in the question has for some time engaged my careful consideration, and Her Majesty's Government have come to the conclusion that it will be proper for me to propose to the House at the beginning of next Session the appointment of a Select Committee on the subject, but with a somewhat wider Order of Reference than that indicated in the question. We think that 1685 the beginning of a second statutory term might very conveniently, and with advantage to the House, be preceded by the collection of information as to the principles upon which the Act has been administered hitherto.
§ MR. T. W. RUSSELLI had no intention of indicating any form of Reference in my question.
§ MR. SEXTON (Kerry, N.)Will the right hon. Gentleman consider the propriety of including in the scope of the Inquiry, not only the Fair Rent Clauses of the Act of 1881, but also the Rent Fixing Clauses of the Act of 1887; and will he make known before the close of the present Session the terms of Reference to the Select Committee, in order that we may consult our constituents?
MR. J. MORLEYI fully appreciate my hon. Friend's suggestion that the Inquiry would be incomplete unless it covered the Rent Fixing Clauses of the Act of 1887 and other recent rent legislation. That point was entirely in my mind. There is no reason that I know of why the Order and terms of Reference should not be placed in the hands of hon. Members before the end of the present Session.
§ MR. M'CARTANWill the Reference be so framed as to include in the Inquiry the large number of cases excluded by legal decisions from the benefits of the Act of 1881, although they were intended to be so excluded?