§ MR. DOLAN (Leitrim, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that in the case of the holding of Patrick McGloin (Gilbert), of Aghanlish, Largy-donnell, county Leitrim, the Estates Commissioners have now appealed from the decision of the county court judge fixing the tenant's second-term fair rent at £5; that that appeal is solely on the question of the jurisdiction of the county court judge to fix the rent; that no appeal on the question of value has been taken; that that appeal is to the Land Commision, who are thus appellants and judges in the same case; and whether, seeing that the only effect of that appeal, if successful, would be to compel the tenant to buy at
† See (4) Debates clix., 591.1057 thirty-eight and a half years purchase of the rent fixed by the county court judge, and in view of the comments of the county court judge on the action of the Land Commission towards this tenant, and of the expense incurred by the tenant in defending proceedings brought against him by the Estates Commissioners, he will say what steps he intends to take to protect the tenant from having to purchase on the said terms.
MR. BRYCEI am informed that the Estates Commissioners have appealed from the decision of the county court judge upon the question of his jurisdiction to fix a fair rent in the case, having regard to the fact that the Commissioners had already issued an order under Section 19 of the Act, declaring McGloin to be the purchaser of the holding. Until this question of law has been decided, the Commissioners are unable to say how they may eventually deal with the case, and in the meantime they do not think it desirable to enter into the facts alleged in the Question.