HC Deb 17 May 1905 vol 146 cc609-10
MR. TULLY (Leitrim, S.)

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can state why the Estates Commissioners, in reply to a memorial, have refused to hear by counsel and solicitor the objections of a number of tenants on the King-Harman Estate to the appointment of certain turbary trustees; why have the Estates Commissioners selected as trustees parties named at private meetings from which the tenants generally were excluded; and whether he can state if the Estates Commissioners are prepared to make arrangements for a free election by ballot of turbary trustees by the tenants on the estate.

(Answered by Mr. Walter Long.) The Estates Commissioners inform me that they did not consider that any useful purpose would be served by hearing counsel. Their negotiator and their inspector made exhaustive inquiries and held interviews with many persons, deputations, and largely attended meetings of delegates and persons interested as to the persons to act as trustees and the methods of selecting them. After full consideration the negotiator and the inspector recommended the persons who were finally approved of by the Commissioners in a scheme which was sanctioned by the Lord-Lieutenant.