§ MR. DILLON (Mayo, E.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the action of Mr. D'Arcy and other landlords in the Swinford union in 58 pressing for immediate payment of rent which in ordinary course would not become payable until November next; whether, seeing that the Swinford union is one of the districts in Ireland seriously affected by the potato failure and in which it has been found necessary to take measures for relief of exceptional distress the Executive Government will take steps to secure the retention of those tenants on the land; and what steps the Government propose to take to secure the peace of the district.
§ MR. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners have no information to the effect mentioned in the Question, and none has reached me. It would, I think, be matter for regret if landlords should take exceptional measures for the recovery of rent in a district which has admittedly suffered from scarcity. I have no reason to suppose that any special measures will be necessary to secure the peace.
§ MR. DILLONIn view of the extreme gravity of this case and of the fact that it cannot come under the attention of the Estates Commission, will the right hon. Gentleman instruct the police to inquire whether any landlords are forestalling the usual time for demanding rent under threat of process in a district in which public money is being used for the relief of distress?
§ MR. BIRRELLI will make inquiries on my own account.