§ MR. POWER (Waterford, E.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that an evicted tenant named Carrigan, on Lord Ashtown's estate, county Waterford, has made application for reinstatement to the Estates Commissioners, and that Lord Ashtown has planted and is planting trees on this farm formerly occupied by Carrigan; have the Estates Commissioners sent an inspector to inspect this farm and report, among other matters, whether the tree planting is being continued; and will he take steps to provide for the Estates Commissioners preventing Lord Ashtown from planting trees on this farm, thereby defeating the object of last session's legislation on the evicted tenants question, while negotiations for the reinstatement of the evicted tenant are proceeding, having regard to the general peace of the district.
§ MR. CHERRYThe Estates Commissioners have received an application from an evicted tenant named Carrigan for reinstatement in a holding on Lord Ashtown's estate, county Waterford. The Commissioners have also received a report from their inspector to the effect that Lord Ashtown has been planting the lands with trees. The matter is at present under consideration.
§ MR. POWERHave the Estates Commissioners power to prevent landlords like Lord Ashtown thus obstructing the working of the Act while negotiations are pending?
§ MR. CHERRYI am afraid not.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)Was not Lord Ashtown supplied with these trees by the Agricultural Department under the Plunkett regime?
§ MR. CHERRYI cannot say.