HC Deb 16 July 1906 vol 160 cc1349-50
MR. GINNELL (Westmeath, N.)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he is aware that a landlord is frequently allowed to read and profit by correspondence between his tenants and the Estates Commissioners with reference to a proposed sale; will the Commissioners allow tenants, evicted tenants, or other persons having rights under the Land Act of 1903, or their legal or parliamentary representative, to read a landlord's letter affecting them; and, far example, will they allow a reacting of "Colonel Smythe's letter, refusing to sell, for the use of the evicted families, two evicted farms though untenanted

MR. BRYCE

The Estates Commissioners inform me that they exercise their discretion in each particular ease as to the use they make of correspondence which they may receive from landlord or tenant or otherwise. That discretion is not exercised in such a way as to give advantage to either party. The Commissioners do not consider that any good purpose would be served by communicating the reasons stated by Colonel Smythe for not selling the lands referred to in the Question.