§ CAPTAIN DONELAN (Cork, E.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, whether, in view of the precarious condition of Irish farmers and the fact that many of them will be quite unable to pay their rents in full this spring, he will consider the desirability of following the precedent of 1887 and making a temporary reduction in judicial rents pending the passing of the promised Land Bill?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURThe information in my possession is to the effect that there is no general inability to pay rent in any province of Ireland. The Government have no intention of following the precedent of 1887 and legislating in the direction suggested in the question.
§ MR. FLYNN (Cork, N.)asked if the right hon. Gentleman would say whether he had received copies of a large number of resolutions passed by public meetings of tenant farmers in Ulster and other parts of Ireland calling attention to the necessity of a reduction?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURYes, Sir; I have received numerous representations on that subject.