§ MR. DILLON (Mayo, N.)On behalf of the hon. Member for North Leitrim, I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the case of James Mullarkey, of Toulistrane, County Sligo, who was in 1883 evicted by the mortgagees of the estate from his farm of 64a. Or. 12p., held at £100 a year; is he aware that Thomas Clarke, of Tobercurry, bailiff to Lord Harlech and others, was put into the farm then at the rent of £77 a year, and never tilled any of it since; whether he is aware that Mullarkey afterwards became entitled to £700 out of the lands of Drummartin, whereupon the mortgagees of the town-land of Tourlistrane issued a writ of summons against Mullarkey for £450, for which they got a charging order; whether, notwithstanding that the rent was thus satisfied, Mullarkey has ever since been deprived of his farm, besides the balance of the £700, and is now in a state of destitution; and whether he will make inquiry into the circumstances of the case?
MR. J. MORLEYThe facts appear to be correctly stated. The arrears of 1577 rent were not paid until 1885, when the period within which Mullarkey could have obtained a writ of restitution had expired. I am informed that all the dealings with the estate, including the acceptance of Thomas Clarke as tenant, were carried out by order of the Court of Chancery. Clarke uses the farm for grazing purposes, and Mullarkey, I am informed, has no employment and no means at present.