§ MR. HOGAN (Tipperary, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he is aware that Mr. Patrick Haire valued land in connection with the Labourers (Ireland) Acts in the Borrisoknne Union, in the county of Tipperary, and made awards on seven labourers' plots exceeding all previous awards in that union, ranging from thirty-two to thirty-eight years' purchase; for three statute acres he awarded £98, for one statute acre £30 15s., and for one rood and thirty-five-perches £18 15s.; whether, considering that the highest rent that was paid for any of this land was £1 per Irish acre, he will say on what ground such an award was made; what are the qualifications of Mr. Haire as a land valuer; and who appointed him to the office.
§ MR. HOGANI beg also to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that Mr. Patrick Haire, arbitrator of the Local Government Board, when making awards as to the value of the plots of land in the Borrisokane Union in connection with the Labourers (Ireland) Acts, called for no sworn evidence in connection with the same, and for the two days he was engaged valuing the plots his expenses were £15 15s.: whether, as dissatisfaction exists amongst the ratepayers with regard to his valuation of the plots and the amount of his expenses, he will take steps to see that an arbitrator with a greater knowledge of land revalues these plots; and whether he will say in what way his expenses were made up, and whether they were sanctioned by the Local Government Board.
MR. BRYCEI am informed that Mr. Robert Haire recently valued land required for the purposes of the Labourers Acts in the Borrisokane Union, but it is incorrect to say that his awards on seven plots ranged from thirty-two to thirty-eight years' purchase. It would not be possible within the limits of an Answer to-deal in detail with Mr. Haire's different awards and the reasons for them, but I will forward to the hon. Member the observations of the Local Government. 1353 Board in the matter. Mr. Haire is a Member of the Institute of Civil Engineers, England, and served for a considerable period under the Commissioners of public works. He has had much experience as an arbitrator and has acted in that capacity under the Labourers Acts on several occasions since 1898, and has discharged the duties in a satisfactory manner. He was selected for the post by the Local Government Board. It is the fact that Mr. Haire did not deem it necessary to examine the parties on oath. His fee is the usual one of £3 3s. a day, and the time occupied by his inspections inquiry, correspondence, and making the award in duplicate, was four and one-third days. His expenses in all amounted to £18 11s., of which his fee was £13 13s., and the balance was travelling and other expenses. The arbitrator's account has not yet been passed by the Local Government Board. There is no power to direct a re-valuation.
§ MR. O'SHAUGHNESSY (Limerick, W.)Is this valuer a permanent official?