§ MR. McCARTANI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, (1) whether his attention has been drawn to the recommendations of the Select Committee on Land Acts (Ireland) 1894, with respect to holdings in Ulster; and, (2) whether, considering that the tenants of holdings valued over, £10 must make out schedules of their improvements, and that no corresponding obligation as to fact or law rests upon the landlord, and that these are matters with which the Land Commission can deal, he will suggest that the Land Commission consider how far they can simplify these, matters by framing and adopting new rules for the guidance of farmers and sub-Commissioners?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURIt is not clear from the first paragraph of the Question to which recommendation of the Select Committee the hon. Member refers. Perhaps he will repeat that part of the Question. But it appears to me it merely has reference to the coming Land Bill. I am not in a position to enter into the details of the provisions of that Measure and perhaps the hon. Member will consider it desirable to defer the Question until the Land Bill is introduced. As to the second paragraph of the Question, I have asked the opinion 440 of the Land Commissioners and they inform me that they do not deem it expedient at present to alter the general rules in reference to furnishing particulars of improvements.
§ MR. McCARTANIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Chief Commissioner oblige the tenants to give information to the landlords and will they also oblige the landlords to give information to the tenants?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURThe Land Commissioners report that they do not consider it expedient at present to alter the rules in reference to tenants' improvements.