§ MR. MEEHAN (Queen's County, Leix)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether, on the reappointment of Assistant Land Commissioners, steps will be taken to test the qualifications of the gentlemen who will be appointed; and whether, in view of the fact that appointments heretofore made were drawn entirely from the landlord, land agent, military, and official classes in Ireland, some of whom had not any experience of farming, steps will be taken that qualification and practical experience, not politics or religion, will be the test of fitness in future in order to establish confidence in the tribunal.
THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. BRYCE, Aberdeen, S.)Upon the re-appointment of Assistant Land Commissioners all possible pains will be taken to secure that the gentlemen to be appointed shall be properly qualified by knowledge and experience. Neither politics nor religion will be suffered to influence the appointments.