§ VISCOUNT CASTLEREAGH (Maidstone)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland what was the aggregate area of the evicted holdings formerly occupied by the 1,609 tenants or tenants' representatives mentioned in Paragraph 22 of the special Report of the Estates Commissioners [Cd. 3570], and who should, in the opinion of the Commissioners, be reinstated or provided with new holdings.
§ MR. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners inform me that the information: asked for in the Question could only be obtained by an examination of the applications in each individual case, and that such an examination would involve the expenditure of much time and labour on the part of their staff. Having regard to the existing pressure upon the Commissioners and their staff, I do not think it reasonable to ask them to undertake the required investigation.
§ VISCOUNT CASTLEREAGHCannot the right hon. Gentleman furnish the information with regard to the cases he has actually before him?
§ MR. BIRRELLI think even that would involve an amount of time and labour which, in view of the pressure under which the officials are working, I should not feel justified in imposing on them.