§ MR. REDDY (King's County, Birr)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that Messrs. Tuckey and Owens, Sub-Commissioners, who are appointed to sit at Birr on the 20th instant, did, when previously settling rents in that district, take a rent-office clerk in the employment of the landlord, Colonel Williams, with them on the car when inspecting farms on the property, and declined any interview with the tenants; can he say what reductions those Commissioners made in the rents on that occasion; whether he is aware that the tenants have resolved not to appear before Messrs. Tuckey and Owens; and will he see that other Commissioners are substituted.
MR. BRYCEI am informed by the Land Commission that Messrs. Tuckey and Hunt are the members of the Sub-Commission delegated to sit at Birr on the 21st instant. Their names appear in the printed list of cases for such sitting which has been in circulation for some weeks. Mr. Owen, who is a Lay Assistant Commissioner, has reported to the Land Commission that on the occasion referred to in the Question, he gave a seat on his car to the landlord's representative, who was attending the inspection on his principal's behalf for the purpose of pointing out boundaries, and who, owing to the weather, was unable to keep pace with the car on his bicycle. Mr. Owen has further reported that on a like occasion he gave seats on his car to two tenants on the same estate when he was inspecting for fair rent purposes, that the tenant or his representative was present at the inspection of each farm, and that he (Mr. Owen) inspected all improvements pointed out to him by the tenant. The Land Commission point out that the decisions of the Sub-Commission Court in the cases upon Captain William's estate have already been notified to the parties concerned, who, if they are so advised, can appeal against those decisions. The constitution of Sub-Commission Courts for particular districts is decided by the Land Commission, and I have no control in the matter.