§ MR. MCCARTANI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1) whether be is aware that the Irish Land Commission, having admitted the existence of the Ulster custom as an interest in addition to the tenants' improvements, refuse to make any abatement in rent on account of this interest; (2) whether he is aware that rent is now imposed upon this interest in estimating the gross value in the Schedule provided by the Irish Land Act, 1896, without making any allowance to the tenant in respect of same; and (3) whether some steps will be taken to change this practice of the administration of the Land Laws in Ireland in this and other respects?
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. J. ATKINSON,) Londonderry, N.The result of the decision of the Land Commission is not accurately stated in the first and second paragraphs of the Question. The decision itself is under appeal, pending the result of which it is not desirable that the operation of the decision should be criticised in the form of answers to Questions.
§ MR. MACNEILLI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, whether he is aware that cases heard before a Sub-Commission for the fixing of fair rents, sitting at Donegal on 9th March and subsequent days, have not yet been decided; what is the reason of this delay; and whether, having regard to the interests both of landlords and tenants, and the grievous inconvenience caused by this delay, any steps will be taken to exepedite the giving of decisions within a reasonable time after the hearing of the cases?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURI must ask the hon. and learned Member to defer this Question until Monday next, local inquiry being necessary.