§ 49. Captain CLIVEasked whether it is the intention of the Government to institute rent-fixing Courts for Great Britain; if he can state the cost up to date of a similar institution in Ireland, the number of rent-fixing cases that were taken into Court, and to appeal in Ireland; and the cost to date of the Irish Land Purchase Act?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI have already said I am not prepared to make any statement with regard to the intentions of the Government on the question of land reform. During the period that has elapsed between the passing of the Land Law (Ireland) Act, 1881, and the 31st March, 1912, the number of applications to fix fair rents have been to the Land Commission 352,035; to the Civil Bill Courts 58,635—the number of appeals in the same period being 100,319. I understand that it is not possible to estimate at all precisely the costs, either of the Land Law (Ireland) Ace or of the Irish Land Purchase Act.