§ MR. FLAVINI beg to ask Mr. Attorney General for Ireland whether he can state the number of applications lodged by tenants in North Kerry to have fair rents fixed in Listowel and Tralee, respectively; whether he is aware that the cases of tenants whose applications were made three years ago are still unheard; and whether representations will be made to the Land Commission with a view of remedying the existing congested condition of tenants' applications to fix fair rents by more frequent sittings of the Sub-Land Commissioners.
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. ATKINSON,) Londonderry, N.There are eighty-six cases from the Union of Tralee, and 112 from the Union of Listowel that have not yet been listed for hearing. None of the applications to fix fair rents from those districts have been outstanding for as long a period as three years. A list which will include cases from North Kerry will be issued as soon as the list containing cases from the southern portion of the county and at present in course of disposal has been completed.
§ MR. FLAVINIs it not the case that originating notices have been served in that district for a period of over two years, and yet have not been heard?
§ MR. ATKINSONI presume the Land Commission make the best arrangements they can.
§ MR. FLAVINI beg to ask Mr. Attorney General for Ireland whether he is aware that a tenant named Denis O'Sullivan, residing at Cahirciveen, County Kerry, a tenant under Trinity College, Dublin, holding about twenty-nine acres of poor land at a rental of £7 12s. 6d. per year, and a valuation of £5 5s., gave evidence in his application to have a fair rent fixed that it cost him in addition to the rent a further sum of £14 7s. in hand feeding the cattle for the past year. And also that he let for graz- 950 ing purposes about ten acres of his holding at a loss of about 8s. for the year; whether he is also aware that the tenant served his notice to have a fair rent fixed in April, 1898, and since that date also asked the agent of Trinity College to have the rent fixed out of court by Land Commission valuer, which request the agent of Trinity College refused. And, also, Denis O'Sullivan and other tenants on Trinity College property accepted the valuation of the landlord's valuer, Mr. Rea, in 1882; and whether the Sub-Land Commission, when delivering judgment in this case, will fix the judicial rent so as to take effect the gale day next after the service of the originating notice.
I also beg to ask Mr. Attorney General for Ireland whether he is aware that, at the recent Land Commission Court held at Cahirciveen, the valuer examined by Trinity College against the tenants was a local landlord named Captain James J. Magill, and that in many of the tenants' cases then listed for hearing the first judicial rent was 100 per cent. over the valuation: but that, notwithstanding this, the landlords' valuer, Captain Magill, swore that the rent for a second judicial tenancy should be in the majority of cases much higher than that fixed in the first judicial term; and whether he will ask the Land Commission to reconsider their decision in this court.
§ MR. ATKINSONThe first question refers to a case which is at present pending before the Sub-Commission for decision. The Land Commissioners, under the circumstances, decline, and, in my opinion, properly so, to call upon the Sub-Commission for information as to the various matters mentioned in the question. The same remark applies to the next question on the Paper.
§ MR. FLAVINIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the valuer in this case has actually sworn in open court that the second judicial rents should be higher than the first?
§ MR. SPEAKEROrder, order!