§ MR. McCARTAN (Down, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he will state the number of fair rent appeals from the Sub-Commissions of Down, Antrim, and Armagh heard by the Chief Commission at its recent sitting at Armagh; in how many cases from each of these three counties were the fair rents fixed by the Sub-Commissioners increased by the Chief Commission, and in how many cases in each county were they reduced; and whether these alterations in judicial rents were made on the Report of Court Valuers who had not heard the evidence given before the Sub-Commissioners, and who were not submitted for examination before the Chief Commission?
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELANDThere were 42 appeals heard at the recent sitting of the Land Commission Court of Appeal at Armagh. In I9 cases from the County Armagh and in seven cases from the County Down the judicial rents fixed by the Sub-Commissioners were increased on appeal, while in one case from the County Down the judicial rent was reduced. In the remaining appeals, the orders of the Sub-Commissioners were affirmed in 14 cases, and in one case the application to fix a fair rent was dismissed. There were no appeals listed for hearing at the sitting referred to from the County Antrim. The decisions were arrived at judicially by the Court in each case after hearing the evidence offered by each party, and having before them the reports made by the Court Valuers, in pursuance of the long established practice.