HC Deb 09 July 1888 vol 328 cc735-6
MR. M'CARTAN (Down, S.)

asked the Secretary to the Treasury, Whether he is aware that the glebe tenants who purchased their holdings, and who are anxious to take advantage of the Land Law (Ireland) Act, 1887, with the view of having their arrears capitalized, have been informed by the Land Commission that they will be deprived of the benefit of the Act in default of payment before the 1st instant of the half-year's instalment required to be paid; whether application has been made to the Land Commission on behalf of a number of tenants in the County of Down requesting extension of time to raise the amount of this instalment by sale of their crops; whether the Commissioners have refused to extend the time, and have intimated that, in the event of non-payment, proceedings will be taken for the recovery of all arrears due; and, whether, considering the high prices paid by these tenants for their holding, and their inability to meet the required instalment at present, he will grant such an extension of time as will enable them to dispose of their crops for the purpose of paying this instalment, and thus entitle them to the benefit of the 25th section of the Act?

THE SECRETARY (Mr. JACKSON) (Leeds, N.)

In accordance with the provisions of the Land Law (Ireland) Act, 1887, Section 25, Sub-section 5, the Treasury directed that in the cases referred to a certain portion of the arrear should be paid on or before the 1st of June, 1888, with a discretionary power to the Land Commissioners to extend the time to July 1, 1888, and due notice was given that non-compliance with the order would involve the loss of the benefit of the Act. Out of 48 mortgagors in the County Down 11 failed to comply with the conditions. Neither the Land Commissioners nor, as I understand the Act, the Treasury have power to extend the time; but legal proceedings have not been threatened for the recovery of the arrears.

MR. M'CARTAN

asked, whether the Treasury would consider the feasibility of giving the tenants more time?

MR. JACKSON

said, that, as he had pointed out, as he understood the Act, there was no power to do so.