§ MR. E. F. VESEY KNOX (Londonderry)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1) will he explain why, though an Order was made by the Land Judge, under the 40th section of the Land Act of 1896, in the matter of the O'Dell estate, near Dungarvan, so long ago as March, 1897, the Land Commission Report has not yet been made; (2) whether he is aware that, while the matter was pending, the receiver has taken ejectment proceedings against 25 tenants, has seized all the stock of one tenant (James Walsh), and has served another tenant (Patrick Morrissey) with an ejectment claiming the old judicial rent of £103, though the rent for the second term has been fixed at £63; and (3) whether he will endeavour to secure that the tenants shall not be so pressed during the administrative delay, whether avoidable or unavoidable, as to render the Order for Sale, under the 40th section, of no use to them?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURThe Land Commissioners inform me that they have hitherto been unable to report under the 40th section, with reference to the estate mentioned in the Question, owing to difficulties with regard to the rental, and also in connection with proceedings for arrears of rent. The former difficulty has been settled, and the latter, they trust, will be shortly removed. I believe the facts are as stated in the second paragraph of the Question.