§ MR. DELANY (Queen's County, Ossory)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that Mr. Croasdaile, before being appointed Sub-Commissioner, failed to succeed as a farmer, and after repeatedly changing his system of farming for some years, ultimately let his land on the eleven months' system; and whether he can say when Mr. Croasdaile's term of appointment expires, and if it is proposed to continue his services as Sub-Commissioner.
(Answered by Mr. Bryce.) The Land Commission inform me that they have given Mr. Croasdaile an opportunity of replying to the suggestions made in the first part of this Question. Mr. Croasdaile states that it is not a fact that before being appointed an Assistant Commissioner he failed to succeed as a farmer; that the only change which he made in his system of farming resulted from an 829 outbreak of pleuro-pneumonia, which prevented him from offering his cattle for sale; and that he did not let his lands for grazing until after he had been appointed an Assistant Commissioner. Mr. Croasdaile's present term of appointment will expire on the 31st instant. I cannot at present make any statement as to how many and which of the existing temporary Assistant Commissioners will be re-appointed.