§ MR. MCCARTANI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, whether any, and if so what, instructions were given to the constabulary authorities in Ireland to make 1251 inquiry and report as to the reductions in rent freely made by the landlords in Ulster, or elsewhere in Ireland, owing to the failure of flax and other crops in 1895; and, whether he can state what reductions have been given to the tenants on the Downshire and other large estates in county Down?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURFor many years it has been the practice of the constabulary authorities in Ireland to keep the Government informed with regard to this and other matters of general interest, and no special instructions have lately been issued in this respect. Information so furnished to the Government is necessarily of a confidential nature. I must decline to indicate the particular estates on which abatements in rent have or have not been granted either in the county Down or elsewhere.
§ MR. MCCARTANsaid the right hon. Gentleman did not state whether there had been any abatement at all.
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURsaid he had already explained that it was not proper for him or desirable in any way to impart these confidential statements to the House, or to state whether the abatements had been made or not.
§ MR. MCCARTANIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that no such abatement has been made on any of the large estates in county Down?
§ [No answer was given.]