§ 16. Mr. R. McNEILLasked the Chief Secretary whether he is yet in a position to give the information asked for in regard to reduction of rents by the Land Commissioners during the War?
§ Mr. SAMUELSJudicial rents for a third statutory term were fixed by the Land Commission Court in 1,579 cases between the 1st August, 1914, and the 31st December, 1917. The evidence offered by the parties was heard, and the circumstances of the holding and district were considered in each case, and the Court duly considered the position of agricultural prices as affected by the War. In order to ascertain the number of cases in which judicial rents so fixed are higher or lower than the judicial rents for the previous statutory term it would be necessary to make an examination of the record in each case. The staff of the Land Commission is depleted owing to the absence of men on war service and to reductions, and such an investigation cannot, therefore, be undertaken.