§ MR. MURPHY (Dublin, St. Patrick's)asked Mr. Solicitor General for Ireland, Whether an Order was made by the Irish Land Commission, under section 15, sub-section 2, of "The Land Law (Ireland) Act, 1887," reducing the terms payable by landowners for redemption of tithe rent-charge from 22½ years, as fixed by "The Irish Church Act, 1869," to 20 years' purchase; whether the Commissioners of the Treasury have assented to such an order; by what sum would the Irish Church surplus be reduced under such an arrangement on transactions already entered into; and, what is the estimated reduction of the surplus if sales of land representing the £5,000,000 contemplated by the Land Purchase Bill now before the House should be carried out?
§ THE SOLICITOR GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. MADDEN) (Dublin University)The Land Commissioners report that no Order has been made 131 reducing the terms of redemption of tithe rent-charge; but that they applied to the Treasury in November, 1887, for the requisite consent that on sales under Lord Ashbourne's Act of land liable to tithe rent-charge, payable to the Land Commissioners and ordered to be redeemed, such redemption might be carried out at 20 years' purchase of the charge, less such sum in the pound as the payer of such tithe rent-charge was entitled to deduct for poor rate on an average of live years prior to December, 1887. If this suggestion were carried out it is estimated that £11,445 would be the total loss up to the present time. It is not possible to calculate the prospective loss to the Church Surplus as estimated in 1869 on the assumption that the redemption price of tithe rent-charge was reduced by two-and-a-half years' purchase in the case of lands which may be hereafter sold under Lord Ashbourne's Act, inasmuch as it cannot be told what lands will be sold. Some lands are not now liable to tithe rent-charge; while on other lands the charge varies considerably in amount.
§ MR. MURPHYasked if the Treasury had consented?
§ MR. MADDENNo, Sir; the application has been made, but no arrangement has been come to yet.