HC Deb 08 March 1897 vol 47 cc192-3
MR. EDWARD CARSON (Dublin University)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Land Commission in Ireland have purported to fix fair rents in a number of cases without specifying the details required by the schedule enacted in the Act of last year; and, if so, in how many cases this has occurred; whether Her Majesty's Court of Appeal has decided that such details are necessary, and that the omission of them invalidates the orders; what course the Land Commission intend to take with reference to cases in which such omission has occurred; and whether there is any power of awarding costs against the Land Commission in appeals taken to rectify such omissions; if not, how the costs are borne?

THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. GERALD BALFOUR,) Leeds, Central

I am afraid I must ask my hon. and learned Friend to defer this Question until to-morrow.

MR. D. MACALEESE (Monaghan, N.)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if lie will explain the cause of the delay in giving decisions in the land cases which were heard at Lisnaskea. County Fermanagh, on the 2nd of January last; why the Sub-Commissioners have not as yet inspected the holdings of those tenants whose cases were heard at Clones, County Monaghan, on the 5th and 6th of February; how many cases in the counties of Fermanagh and Monaghan in winch the originating notices to have fair rents fixed were served before the 1st of last November have not as yet been listed for hearing; and when will there be another sitting of the Sub-Commissioners to hear these cases; and whether it is intended to appoint additional Sub-Commissioners so as to prevent an accumulation of arrears of business and to dispose speedily of cases in which notices to have fair rents fixed have been served?

MR. GERALD BALFOUR

It is necessary to make local inquiries in reference to the first and second paragraphs of the Question, and I would ask the hon. Member to postpone it until Thursday next.