MR. PATRICK O'BRIENOn behalf of the honourable Member for West Clare, I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he could state how many civil bill decrees did Lord Leconfield's agent, Mr. Scott, obtain against his tenants at the last January sessions at Ennis and Kilrush; in how many cases are ejectment decrees running concurrently with civil bill decrees on this particular estate; and is there any means of preventing the costs of both decrees falling on poor tenants?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURThere were 11 ejectment decrees and 12 decrees for rent granted at Kilrush Sessions held in January last, and 15 ejectment decrees and 38 decrees for rent granted at Ennis Sessions in January last at the suit of Lord Leconfield. It does not appear that ejectment decrees are running concurrently with civil bill decrees, as none of the parties decreed in ejectments were decreed in civil bills for rent. There is no means, I believe, of preventing the granting of costs in ejectment and civil bill proceedings at the same Sessions if actions are brought, though it is a remedy rarely, I understand, availed of.