§ MR. D. SHEEHY (Galway, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, (1) whether he is aware that Mr. William Farran, residing at Toorleitra, Woodford, County Galway, two years ago, by representing to the tenants on the Featherston Estate, that, having purchased the property and become their landlord, got two years rent together, with arrears, from almost all the tenants except a tenant named Michael Hennessy, who refused to pay unless Farran showed title; (2) whether he is aware that Mr. Farran sued Hennessy for the rent at last Quarter Sessions, and after swearing that Hennessy owed him the rent, had to admit on cross-examination that he could not show any title to the property, and the case was dismissed with costs; (3) also that Mr. Farran served an ejectment on a widow, named O'Dea, got a decree, and evicted her last August; and, (4) whether, seeing that Mr. Farran was appointed to the Commission of Peace for the County of Galway a few months ago, he will take these statements into consideration for further action thereon?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. GERALD BALFOUR,) Leeds, CentralI am informed that about two years ago Mr. Farran purchased the property in question from the former landlord, and that the tenants in general paid their rents to Mr. Farran with the exception of Hennessy, who, at the January Quarter Sessions, took defence to a process which was dismissed without costs—Mr. Farran not being then in a position to produce a conveyance of the property owing to the death of the late landlord. A decree had been previously obtained against Mrs. O'Dea, who owed fourteen years' rent and made no defence, but she was readmitted as caretaker. Mr. Farran would appear to have acted in a bona fide manner throughout these transactions, and no action is called for as suggested in the last paragraph of the Question.