MR. D. MACLEESE (Monaghan, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland is he aware that two Court valuers were recently sent to inspect holdings in the Union of Clones, county Monaghan, upon which appeals were lodged; were the rents increased by the Chief Commission upon the reports of these valuers; did both inspectors visit all the holdings; and what experience had they in valuing land in county Monaghan?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURThe Land Commissioners, to whom I have referred this question, point out that in cases in which applications to fix fair rents are adjudicated upon by them pursuant to the powers conferred on them by the Land Law Acts, their decisions are arrived at after hearing the evidence offered on behalf of the landlord and tenant, respectively, and, after taking into account all the circumstances of the case of the holding and the district. I desire to take this opportunity of protesting against the practice of putting questions of this kind on the Paper.