HC Deb 16 April 1896 vol 39 cc1023-5
MR. ENGLEDOW

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, whether he will make provision in the Clauses of the proposed Land Bill, having reference to the evicted tenants, that in all cases where it has been shown to the satisfaction of the Land Court that the houses of the evicted tenants had been wilfully burned down or thrown down by the landlord or his agents, that provision be made for their rebuilding from advances to be made out of the Irish Church funds.

*MR. J. L. CAREW (Dublin, College Green)

As this Question obviously relates to the Clongorey Estate, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether his promised intervention in the interest of a settlement of the dispute between the landlord and tenants on this estate has taken place, and if so, with what result?

*MR. GERALD BALFOUR

My answer to the Question on the Paper is that I cannot undertake to make an exception to the general principle which I laid down in connection with this matter in my speech on the introduction of the Land Bill. With regard to the supplementary Question, the position is this: I stated in this House that I should be glad to co-operate in bringing about a settlement between landlord and tenants when I received an invitation from the parties to do so. I have not yet received any direct invitation to intervene, and, as I have said, I shall not take action in the matter until I have. But there may be some difficulty now in consequence of the fact that the six months for which the 13th Clause or Act of 1891 was re-enacted have now elapsed. Until the Land Bill is passed, with the provisions for re-enacting the clause for a further period, it is doubtful whether anything can be done in this matter at all.

MR. ENGLEDOW

asked, whether the right hon. Gentleman was aware that many of the demolished houses had been built by the tenants themselves, and that their erection had involved great toil and expense?

MR. GERALD BALFOUR

That may be so, but it cannot affect my answer.

MR. JOHN REDMOND (Waterford)

In reference to what the right hon. Gentleman has said as to his willingness to act in the character of a mediator in this matter, and with reference to the difficulty that has arisen owing to the lapse of the 13th Clause of the Act of 1891, I desire to ask him whether, in view of the introduction of his Land Bill containing provisions for the re-enactment of the Clause, and the probability of those provisions becoming law, he would take advantage of an opportunity of conducting negotiations for a settlement if such an opportunity should present itself, and not neglect it merely because the 13th Clause of the Act of 1891 has lapsed for the moment?

MR. GERALD BALFOUR

Of course I shall be glad to consider the advisability of doing as the hon. and learned Member desires, but my conduct must depend ultimately upon the passing of the Land Act.