§ SIR THOMAS ESMONDE (Kerry, W.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he is aware that in the Tralee Union 156 labourers' cottages have been built prior to 1891; that the provisions of the Land Law (Ireland) Act of 1896 do not apply in consequence to the annual charges in respect of these cottages; that if they did apply, it would mean a relief of £500 a year to the ratepayers of the Tralee Union; and, inasmuch as there are between 8,000 and 9,000 labourers' cottages throughout Ireland, in respect of which no relief from the Act of last year can be obtained, he will consider the advisability of suspending the allocation of the grant in aid of the erection of labourers' cottages under the Land Law (Ireland) Act of 1896 until a short 381 Act is passed to allow the inclusion in the grant of cottages built prior to 1891?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. GERALD BALFOUR,) Leeds, CentralI am not prepared to introduce further legislation on this subject. The amendment in the law suggested by the hon. Baronet was considered by the Government at the time when the Act of last year was under discussion, but was not adopted.