§ MR. T. W. RUSSELL (Tyrone, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether Mr. W. F. Wilkinson has, since his appointment as clerk in the office of the Irish Land Commission, acted as land agent to a Mr. Kirkpatrick, in county Dublin, and has signed legal documents dated from the office of the Public Trustee in that capacity; and if he proposes to take I any steps to prevent a State official filling these combined offices.
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. BIRRELL,) Bristol, N.I am informed by the Land Commission that since Mr. Wilkinson was appointed to their service he has not acted in any way as land agent to Mr. Kirkpatrick. Some misapprehension appears to have arisen from the fact that one of Mr. Kirkpatrick's tenants served a legal notice on Mr. Wilkinson in mistake for his brother, who is in Mr. Kirkpatrick's employment. Mr. Wilkinson at once took steps to have his name eliminated from the proceedings.