§ 25. Captain SHEEHANasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether his attention has been drawn to the compulsory seizure of land by the landless people which has taken place in various parts of Ireland; whether the denial of access to the grazing ranches to the agricultural labourers and small farmers, who are willing to till and cultivate and make them fruitful in food supplies, is the immediate cause of the present agrarian disturbances; and whether it is proposed to introduce legislation providing for the equitable distribution of the grass lands of the country and the large untilled farms amongst the classes that are capable of cultivating them and making them nationally useful?
§ Mr. DUKEI have seen newspaper reports of the entry upon grazing farms in certain districts in Ireland of organised bands of men having no right in the lands entered, to which, I believe, the question refers, and have called for reports upon the matter from the constabulary. As the seizure of land in such a manner as is represented in the newspaper accounts may be a grave criminal offence, I could not regard it as a proper mode of promoting increased tillage. The Department of Agriculture in Ireland is taking means for increased tillage with the assistance of public funds, and will not hesitate to make a lawful entry upon lands subject to tillage which are not tilled. By this means food supply will be increased without interference with the rights of property. There is no prospect of any general purchase and redistribution of lands during the War.
§ Captain SHEEHANAre the Department of Agriculture dealing with grazing ranches in the matter of making them available for tillage?
§ Mr. DUKEThe Department of Agriculture are exercising a difficult discretion in circumstances of great public importance, and I think they are exercising it wisely. I do not think they would exercise it wisely if they set out upon a programme of converting grazing lands in Ireland generally to tillage land.