§ MR. DALYI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that in February last there were in the unions of Carrickmacross and Castleblaney about 300 applicants to have fair rents fixed in the Land Courts, and that some of these applicants had entered in 1897; whether-he can state what steps he intends to take to have cases referred to heard and fair rents fixed; and if he can state the cause of the delay.
§ MR. G. W. BALFOURI am informed be the Land Commissioners that the hear- 750 ing of a list containing 299 fair rent applications from the unions of Carrickmacross and Castleblaney—a number of which had been entered in 1897—was commenced in February last, but that all the cases on that list have not yet been heard, as the arrangements for the hearing of the latter portion of it had to be altered owing to the illness of the Lay Assistant Commissioner before whom the eases were listed. It is expected that the hearing of all the cases on the list referred to will be completed by an early date, and the decisions will then be announced on the earliest possible opportunity.