§ * MR. FLYNN (Cork, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he has received copies of resolutions passed by the Kanturk, Youghal, Rathkeale, Carrickmacross, and other Boards of Guardians in Ireland, calling on the Government to revise immediately the judicial rents, with a view to fix them in fair proportion to the very great depreciation in the returns yielded of all kinds of farm produce; and, whether, in view of the recent and long-continued inclemency of the weather and the serious fall in the prices of agricultural produce, the Government will undertake to bring in a short measure dealing with the revision of the judicial rents on the lines of the 29th section of the Land Law (Ireland) Act, 1887, but taking into account the difference of prices and the average yield of agricultural produce?
§ MR. EUGENE CREAN (Queen's County, Ossory)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he has received a resolution from the Mountmellick Board of Guardians calling for an immediate revision of all judicial rents, as, owing to the present depressed state of agriculture, it will be utterly impossible for them to meet their present rents; and, what action the Government intend taking in the matter?
§ MR. JASPER MORE (Shropshire, Ludlow),before the question was answered, asked whether the Land Commission did not fix judicial rents for 15 years on the basis of the average in prices, and whether an abstract of these prices could be laid before the House.
§ MR GERALD BALFOURIn reply to this question, and that standing in the name of the hon. Member for Queen's County: I must refer the hon. Gentlemen to my reply to similar inquiries addressed to me on Tuesday last by the hon. Members for East Cork and South Monaghan. With regard to the suggested legislation, Government, upon the information at present before it, cannot admit that any measure of the kind referred to is in any way called for.
§ * MR. FLYNNasked whether the Chief Secretary was aware that Lord Winchilsea had stated that the harvest this year would be one of the most disastrous on record; that it was worse before prices fell, and under these circumstances, would he make inquiry from reliable sources whether legislation was needed or not.
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURsaid, the suggestion of the hon. Member seemed to be inferential. He presumed that Lord Winchilsea referred to the harvest in England and not in Ireland.
§ * MR. FLYNNasked whether attention would be paid to resolutions calling attention to the badness of the harvest prospects in Ireland which had been passed by Boards of Guardians in all parts of the country.
§ MR. D. KILBRIDE (Galway, N.)asked whether the Chief Secretary would give the names of the ladies and gentlemen from whom the Land Commission obtained their information.
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURthought there would be no advantage in doing that. In reply to the hon. Member for Shropshire, the Land Commissioners, in fixing judicial rents, naturally had regard to what they considered the probable average.
§ * CAPTAIN DONELAN (Cork, E.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, (1) whether he is aware that the average price of 542 butter at country markets in the South of Ireland during the spring and summer has been under 6d. per lb., and that even at the present time the top price in the Cork butter market is 8d. per lb.; while the average price of oats in the Cork corn market on Saturday last was only 6d. per stone; (2) whether he is also aware that the prolonged drought in the early part of the year has caused a partial failure of green crops, and that the heavy rains of the past month have seriously damaged the hay and corn; and, (3) whether, in view of these facts, he will take steps to give some immediate relief to Irish farmers by passing a measure for the temporary revision of judicial rents this Session.
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURThe average market price of butter, as ascertained from returns of actual transactions in the chief market towns of Minister during the quarter ended June 30, is shown to be 73s. 11½d. per cwt., or nearly 8d. per lb., and since July 1 a slight increase is shown in the average price. From the returns for the week ended 7th inst., the average price of oats in the Cork market was at the rate of 6d. a stone, as stated in the question, but it must be remembered that only a small quantity of this season's oats can have come upon the market, and I understand that at the beginning of the season new oats, being imperfectly matured, damp, and heavy, command a lesser price than when the season is more advanced. It may reasonably be expected, therefore, that the price will improve. As to the second paragraph, I see no reason to vary the reply which I gave to the hon. Gentleman's previous inquiry on this subject on Tuesday last. It is not yet possible, of course, to speak with absolute certainty as to the harvest generally, but the reports I have received all agree in stating that the prospects on the whole are decidedly favourable. Both green and oat crops are looking, I am told, exceedingly well in many parts of the country, though in some parts affected by the drought the corn crop is short, and there is in some places a partial failure in green crops. The potato crop, which is practically the most important crop in Ireland, gives every promise, I am glad to learn, of an abnormal yield; and at the recent fairs 543 the prices of store cattle, on which the Irish farmer depends much more largely than the sale of his crops, has improved.
§ * CAPTAIN DONELANMay I ask whether the right hon. Gentleman is aware that the prices I have quoted in my question were taken from official and trustworthy reports published in the Cork newspapers, and that my statement as to the condition of the crops in the south of Ireland is derived from intimate personal knowledge and close personal observation on the spot; and, in view of the facts which the right hon. Gentleman has admitted, may I ask him whether he can see his way to reconsider this matter, with a view to giving immediate relief to these unfortunate Irish farmers?
§ MR. KILBRIDEWill the right hon. Gentleman give the names of the butter merchants who paid for butter the prices which he has named? ["Hear, hear!"]
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURMy answer is derived from information received from the Land Commission.
§ MR. KILBRIDEWho supplied the information to the Land Commission? ["Hear, hear!"]
§ * CAPTAIN DONELANHas the right hon. Gentleman made inquiries as to the price of butter in country markets?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURsaid, he was unable to give any further information.