§ MR. JAMES DALY (Monaghan, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can give the number of cases the Chief Land Commissioners at Monaghan recently lowered or raised the rents respectively fixed by the Sub-Commissioners who heard the evidence and inspected the farms; whether he can state if two Court valuers in every case valued the farms for the Chief Land Commissioners, and the rent in every case was fixed on the return given by the Court valuers; and whether he can say if the Court valuers in any of these cases heard the evidence given on behalf of landlord and tenant?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURThere were 29 appeals heard at the recent sitting of the Land Commission Court of Appeal at Monaghan. In eight of these cases the judicial rents fixed by the Sub-Commissioners were increased on appeal, while in one case the judicial rent was reduced; in seven cases the orders of the Sub-Commissioners were affirmed; and in 13 cases the Court reserved judgment. In all the 29 cases heard, the holdings were visited by two Court valuers. In nine cases (which number includes six cases affirmed) the judicial rent fixed on appeal are of the amount which was, in the estimation of the Court valuers, the fair rent of the holding. In no case do the Court valuers hear the evidence given on behalf of either the landlord or tenant. The decisions were arrived at 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.