§ MR. ARTHUR O'CONNOR(for Mr. O'DOHERTY) (Donegal, N.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether numerous sales of holdings in Ireland have been sanctioned by the Irish Land Commission, in which all bogs and turbaries have been reserved to the landlord vendor; whether it has been repeatedly decided in Ireland that such a reservation reserves also the subsoil on which the bog or turbary rests; whether many of the holdings sold are almost entirely covered with bog or peat; and, whether public money is being advanced for the purchase of land which is by the reservations contained in the contract retained by the vendor?
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. HOLMES) (Dublin University)(who replied) said: The Land Commissioners report that, as a general 1544 rule, all the estate and interest which before sale the landlord has in the holding is upon the sale vested in the tenant purchaser. Occasionally the holding may include uncut bog, upon which other tenants had before the sale limited rights of turbary. Such rights would, upon the sale of the holding, be preserved for such tenants. No advance is made for the purchase of any holding unless the land comprised therein is, for agricultural or pastoral purposes, in the opinion of the Commissioners, ample security for the sum to be advanced, and advances are never made for the purchase of the privilege of cutting turf where the soil is retained by the vendor.
§ MR. ARTHUR O'CONNORWill the right hon. and learned gentleman inquire whether in Donegal and other counties in the West of Ireland the bog often represents 75 or 80 per cent. of the total holding?
§ [No reply.]