§ MR. MURPHY (Kerry, E.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland what is the explanation of the fact that 21,195 fair rent applications are at present before the Land Commission waiting to be disposed of; and whether he will take any steps to enable these applications to be heard, with the view of affording the necessary relief to tenants who desire to have their rents adjusted.
(Answered by Mr. Bryce.) I am informed by the Land Commission that the number of applications to fix fair rents pending on 28th February was 9,378, not 21,195 as stated in the Ques- 886 tion, and that the outstanding cases will be disposed of as rapidly as possible
§ MR. FLAVIN (Kerry, N.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that notices of appeal, served five years ago, to have a fair rent fixed before the Chief Land Commissioners, are still unheard in the county of Kerry; whether he is aware that, pending the appeal, the tenants are compelled to pay the old rent; and whether he can say on what date the Chief Land Commission will hold a court in Kerry.
(Answered by Mr. Bryce.) I am informed by the Land Commission that the last appeal list for hearing at Killarney contained all cases in which appeals were lodged up to January, 1902. A further sitting for the hearing of appeals from county Kerry will be held during the approaching Easter or Trinity terms, but the precise date has not yet been arranged. When rents have been judicially fixed by a Sub-Commission Court, such rents are the rents payable until and unless they are varied on appeal, in which case a readjustment is made in respect of the difference.