MR. T. M. HEALYI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether it is the intention of the Land Commission to reserve judgment in all appeals listed between now and March; and, if not, in what cases, and on what principle will such cases be selected?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURI presume the Land Commissioners will exercise their discretion in all such cases as those referred to by the hon. and learned Member; but I see no public advantage to be gained by seeking to elicit from them any general statement of their intentions in the matter. ["Hear, hear!"]
MR. T. M. HEALYasked whether it would not be of great public advantage to suitors who might intend to appeal in the matter of fair rents, and also for solicitors and other persons interested, to know when their cases were likely to be heard?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURsaid that it might perhaps be in the interest of a portion of the public that they should 682 have that information, but he saw no general public advantage to be gained from eliciting this information from the Commissioners.
MR. T. M. HEALYasked whether it would not be for the public advantage that they should know when applications for fair rents would be heard?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURThe hon. Gentleman is now asking me another abstract question, which I must respectfully decline to answer.