§ MR. JAMES O'CONNOR (Wicklow, W.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the Commissioner of Valuation in Ireland undertook to hear the views of appellants against the Belfast revaluation in person before publishing his revised appeal list; that he invited some of the public bodies to appoint representatives to meet him, and interviewed some classes of Belfast merchants and also delegates from a ratepayers' committee; and, if so, will he explain why the Commissioner did not hear the Belfast publicans, whose valuations have been increased from £27,000 to £63,000.
(Answered by Mr. Wyndham.)The Commissioner undertook to arrange interviews with the leading mercantile and other public bodies, as well as with individuals whose valuations were seriously affected by the revaluation. In September, 1901, he met a deputation of the Belfast licensed vintners, and in November, 1903, a leading member of that body, who put forward very clearly the views of the licensed vintners.