§ MR. J. P. FARRELLI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether any report has been furnished to him regarding recent sittings of the Head Land Commission for fixing fair rents on appeal; whether he is aware that within the present month twelve tenants have had to go to Dublin to get their appeals heard; and can he explain why it is that, as was always the case, the Land Commission refuses to come to Longford on circuit to hear appeals; and will he call for a report on this subject.
§ MR. WYNDHAMIf the hon. Member refers to a list of appeals from West-meath, which were heard in Dublin on the 30th and 31st January, I am informed that the list contained forty-five appeals, and that there were no appeals in it from Longford, though in some of the cases the holdings were situated near to the borders of Longford. Unless under exceptional circumstances, it has always been the practice to hear appeals from all parts of the county of Wostmeath in Dublin; by this arrangement the Land Commissioners are enabled to provide for such appeals being heard at earlier dates. It is not the case that the Land Commissioners have always refused to go to Longford for the hearing of appeals.
§ MR. J. P. FARRELLIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Land Commission has not sat in Longford for a period of three years, thereby causing great loss to the tenant litigants?
§ MR. WYNDHAMThey may not have sat in Longford, but they have taken cases in Dublin, thereby accelerating the business, which, as the hon. Gentleman knows, is in arrear.
§ MR. J. P. FARRELLWill the right hon. Gentleman use his influence to get a change in the rules, so that poor country litigants may not be put to the cost of going to Dublin?
§ MR. WYNDHAMI do not think it would be wise on my part to interfere with the administration of the Land Commission.