GENERAL, HUGH MCCALMONT (Antrim, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he will grant the Return which stands on the Paper this day with regard to the officers of the Land Commission?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURThe Return moved for by my hon. and gallant Friend is a little vague. I presume it is intended to apply to the Department of the Land Commission only, and not to the Civil Bill Courts, or to the Land Judge and the officers of his Court, whose duties are also connected with the administration of the Land Law and Land Purchase Acts. Perhaps my hon. and gallant Friend will communicate with me in reference to the form of the Return.
§ MR. H. O. ARNOLD-FORSTER (Belfast, W.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1) whether any, and, if so, how many, of the Assistant Commissioners, charged with the duty of valuing the property, fixing the income, and defining the rights of Irish landowners, are hired by the year or for any lesser period; (2) whether, in the event of there being a diminution in the number of cases of rent reduction, and a consequent falling off in the number of cases listed in the Courts, the services of those gentlemen will cease to be required and their temporary salaries cease to be paid; and (3) whether, in that event, any provision will be made for them on their discharge from their present judicial office?
§ MR. J. C. FLYNN (Cork, N.)Before the right hon. Gentleman answers that Question, I would ask you, Mr. Speaker, whether it is seemly that the word "hired" should appear in a Question, as it must be offensive to these persons? ["Hear, hear."]
§ MR. SPEAKERI think it would have been better if a word less capable of an offensive meaning had been used. ["Hear, hear."]
MR. T. M. HEALYWould it not have been better if the words "Catholic Bishops" had been used instead of "Romish hierarchy" in the Question of the hon. Member for Belfast?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURWith regard to the first paragraph, I would refer my hon. Friend to Return No. 107 1541 of this Session, which gives details as to the tenure, etc., of the lay Assistant Commissioners. The Return does not include the legal Assistant Commissioners, of whom, at present, four are permanently, and two temporarily, employed. The answer to the second paragraph is in the affirmative. On former occasions no provision was made, as suggested, on the termination of their duties by Assistant Commissioners temporarily employed; and I am not aware that it is proposed, or that there is power, to adopt a different arrangement in future.
MR. T. M. HEALYMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether there is any authority for the use of the words in the Question, "fixing the incomes of the Irish landowners"?
[No reply was given.]
MR. T. M. HEALYI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that very great delay has taken place and is taking place in dealing with applications made to the Irish Land Commission for the release of guarantee deposits under the 29th Section, Sub-sections (2) and (3), of the Land Law (Ireland) Act 1896, and that a large number of applications have been for some months past left by the Land Commission without reply, thus causing great delay and inconvenience to the parties interested; and, what action he proposes to take in the matter?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURWith regard to applications under the third Sub-section, I am informed that in every case in which a decade has expired since the making of the advance, the amount which could have been paid out under the provisions of this Sub-section has been so released. Applications have been received in respect of 151 estates under Sub-section 2, Section 29 of the Act of 1896; of these 77 have been dealt with and 74 are under consideration and will probably be ruled within the next month. There, has been no unnecessary delay in ruling these applications, and the deposits carry interest until they are released.
§ MR. EDWARD CARSON (Dublin University)is it not the fact that notwithstanding the legislation of last year the Land Commissioners refuse to 1542 sanction purchases in a majority of cases?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURI am not aware that they refuse in a majority of cases, but they have refused in several cases.
MR. T. M. HEALYasked whether, in view of the fact that both landlords and tenants were greatly dissatisfied with the working of the Purchase Acts, there had been any application to the Treasury for an increase in the staff of the Commissioners.
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURThere has already been a large increase in the staff of Sub-Commissioners. It is impossible to increase the numbers indefinitely.
MR. T. M. HEALYMy question refers to the Purchase Department, not to the Department for fixing fair rents.