§ MR. PARNELLasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether he can inform the House of the number of applications that have been made by tenants for loans to improve their holdings under the Land Act of 1881; and, how many of these applications have been granted?
§ MR. COURTNEYSir, I may, perhaps, be permitted to answer this Question. The number of formal applications for loans to occupiers under the Land Act of 1881 received up to Saturday last, November 18, was 625; of these 310 have been sanctioned, 114 are still under investigation, and 201 have been found inadmissible. But I am happy to state that, under the recent reduction of the minimum amount of a loan, about 75 of the last class will become admis- 1707 sible, and it is expected that they will come in. It is also believed that the number of applications will soon show a considerable increase.