§ Mr. JEREMIAH MacVEAGHasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that Mr. Hugh Gribben, of Bellaughley, Mayobridge, county Down, and four other tenants on the Batt estate of Staniland and Essell, have sustained heavy losses since 1882 by being excluded from the Land Courts owing to the name of the agent of the estate trustees being joined with his in the receipt; whether he is aware that the alteration in the receipt was made without the tenants' consent; whether he can state by what process of law William James Watson, the agent, became co-tenant with Peter Gribben; whether the tenant is thereby precluded from having a fair rent fixed; and whether he will accept an Amendment to the Land Bill protecting tenants in such cases?
816W
§ Mr. BIRRELLAn application to fix a fair rent of a holding on the estate of R. N. Batt, county Down, was served on the Land Commission in November, 1881, on behalf of Hugh, Peter and Thomas Gribben, who were described in the originating notice as tenants. Having been twice adjourned by the court, the application was finally "struck out" in court on consent, the record having in the meantime been amended by order of the Court by striking out the name of Thomas Gribben as tenant and inserting the name of William James Watson as tenant instead of Hugh Gribben. In April, 1898, application to fix fair rent for a second statutory term was received on behalf of the tenants, but was dismissed by order of the Sub-Commission on the ground that a judicial rent had not been previously fixed upon the holding and that the application should have been one to fix a fair rent for a first statutory term. The name of Mr. William J. Watson appears on the record on each occasion as agent of the estate. The Land Commission have no further information with regard to the points raised in the question. Their records do not appear to
indicate that there is anything in the case calling for legislation.