§ MR. O'KELLY (Mayo, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieuenant of Ireland whether, before authorising the employment of a special police force to carry out the eviction of Antony Loftus on the Bingham Estate, at Doolough, Belmullet, county mayo, on April 26th last, he had made himself acquainted with the facts of he case; whether he is aware that the andlord had given time to the tenant for he payment of the one-and-a-half year's rent due, together with the costs, till May 12th; that the tenant had only just been supplied with seed potatoes by the local board of guardians in consequence of the failure of his crop the previous year; and that the full amount due was tendered to the sheriff immediately before; the eviction took place, and was refused; and will he say whether any negotiations for the sale of this property passed between the Estates Commission or the Congested Districts Board and the landlord; and, if not, will he suggest to the Congested Districts Board the advisability of opening negotiations with the landlord, with the object of purchasing this property and restoring the evicted tenant to his former status thereon.
§ MR. WALTER LONGThis eviction was carried out by the sheriff, for whose protection and upon whose requisition, a force of four police attended in the, ordinary and necessary discharge of their duty. The Executive have no power to refuse such protection. I have no information as to the facts of the case. I understand that on March 7th the tenant received a supply of seed potatoes, as stated. So far as the police are aware, the amount due was not tendered to the sheriff. No negotiations for the sale of this property have passed between the landlord and the Estates Commissioners or Congested Districts Board. The Board are prepared to consider any offer which may be made to them.