§ MR. LUNDON (Limerick, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he is aware that the preliminary documents for sale and purchase as between landlord and tenants were perfected in the case of Lord Fermoy and the tenants on the Kilcullane, Cahirguillamore, and other lands in the parishes of Herbertstown and Grange, county Limerick; is he aware that Lord 755 Fermoy subsequently withdrew his sanction to the sale unless the tenants paid a higher price, and on their refusal to do so served on them writs for rents to be tried in the superior courts, and, in the case of one tenant, Mr. Martin Hogan, served a process to be tried before the county court judge at the Bruff Quarter Sessions, which he subsequently withdrew before going into court; and will he consider the advisability of taking steps to save tenants from being harassed by lawsuits where the title is doubtful.
MR. BRYCEThe Estates Commissioners inform me that no proceedings in connection with the sale of Lord Fermoy's estate are pending before them, and they have no knowledge of the legal proceedings referred to in the Question. The Government have no power to restrain landlords from taking legal proceedings.