§ MR. DILLONI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can state the terms of reference to the proposed Royal 926 Commission on the Irish Land Commission and the names of the Commissioners?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURI am not vet in a position to made a statement on the subject.
§ MR. DILLONWill he say when he is likely to be in a position to give the information?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURI cannot assign a day. The hon. Member is aware that these matters take time. There shall be no unnecessary delay.
§ MR. MAURICE HEALY (Cork)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1) whether the Land Commission have adopted the practice of having fair rent applications heard and the holding inspected by only one lay Commissioner in some cases because of the want of a sufficient number of Assistant Commissioners; (2) will he explain why the Land Commission have not adopted the practice in all cases; and (3) whether the present staff of Assistant Commissioners is sufficiently numerous for the work to be done, or has any representation on the subject been made to the Irish Government or the Treasury?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURIn reply to the first paragraph of this Question, I have no doubt that the large number of applications is a factor in the case. The Commissioners, in the exercise of the discretion expressly invested in them by Act of Parliament, delegate the hearing of applications to one or two lay Assistant Commissioners as they they think fit. Some addition to the staff of Assistant Commissioners will shortly be made.