§ MR. MURPHY (Kerry, E.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that Major Kiggel, who acts as the valuer in land cases for the County Court in Kerry, is acting as land agent on the property of Mrs. Frances Rowland, at Mourne Abbey, county Cork, and on other estates, and that Major Kiggel has written to the tenants on the Rowland 41 Estate, dated the 28th May, 1904, with the object of deterring them from entering the Land Court, and inducing them to agree to certain purchase prices; and, if so, whether such action is permissible in the case of a person in receipt of salary from the Land Commission.
§ MR. WYNDHAMMajor Kiggel states he has never deterred tenants from entering the Land Court. He wrote to them suggesting that before entering Court a second time to have fair rents fixed they might consider an offer which he made, to sell at twenty-three years purchase. The tenants rejected the offer and stated they would prefer to enter the Court, but that before doing so they would offer twenty years purchase. Major Kiggel is not in receipt of salary from the Land Commission. Any payments to him as County Court valuer are made from the County Court officers' Vote.
§ MR. MURPHYI think it a public scandal. This man is in receipt of a salary from the Government and is a land agent as well.