§ MR. T. M. HEALY (Longford, N.)asked Mr. Solicitor General for Ireland, Whether, since the Court of Exchequer in Ireland decided that 3⅛ per cent was the interest legally payable by tenants to the landlords for interest on purchase money under Lord Ashbourne's Act, during the interval between the agreement to buy and its being sanctioned by the Purchase Commissioners, the Government intend to support a proposal to increase the rate of interest to 4 per cent; and, is there any Rule requiring the tenants to be protected by the advice of an independent solicitor, or is it the general practice that the landlord's solicitor acts for both the tenant, who is buying, and the landlord, who is selling out? The hon. and learned Member, in putting the Question, observed that the second part of it had already been answered. He would, therefore, only ask the first part.
§ THE SOLICITOR GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. MADDEN) (Dublin University), in reply, said, he had been unable to get a Report of the decision of the Court; but, so far as he could ascertain, it was to the effect mentioned in the Question.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYgave Notice that if the Land Commission insisted upon an illegal interest being paid by the tenants, he would call attention to it upon their Vote.