§ * MR. ARCHDALE (Fermanagh, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that one legal and one lay Sub-Commissioner have been told off to hear 107 land cases in three days in the county of Fermanagh this month; and, if so, whether, taking into consideration both the Report of the Fry Commission and also the strong remonstrances by both landlords and tenants to their cases being heard by only one lay Commissioner, he will represent to the Land Commission the desirability of appointing another, and also give longer time for hearing the cases.
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY TO THE LORD LIEUTENANT OF IRELAND (Mr. G. W. BALFOUR,) Leeds, CentralI am informed that 107 cases from the Enniskillen Union have been listed for hearing before one legal and one lay Assistant Commissioner on the 15th, 16th, and 17th inst. The list comprises a number of cases in which negotiations for purchase are pending, and which may not, therefore, proceed to a hearing. If, however, all the cases should stand for hearing, the Sub-Commission will, if necessary, spend the remainder of the week in disposing of them. It is not intended that the hearing should be hurried in the least degree. It would not be possible to arrange for the hearing of these cases, at the period mentioned, by two lay Assistant Commissioners unless by postponing the hearing of lists from other districts. Sub-Commissions must work with one lay member until the appointment of the additional Assistant Commissioners, already sanctioned, has been perfected; and to postpone lists in the meantime would lead to delay, and would not be satisfactory to the parties.