§ MR. SHAW LEFEVRE (Bradford, Central)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether he can state what number of holdings have been purchased under the Purchase of Land (Ireland) Act, 1885, of the annual value of from £50 to £100, and how many above the annual value of £100; and, in respect of how many holdings have the applications for purchase been refused, on the ground that they were of such a nature as not to afford sufficient security for loans by the State, or that the rate of purchase agreed upon was excessive?
§ THE SOLICITOR GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. MADDEN) (Dublin University)(who replied) said: The Land Purchase Commissioners report that the number of holdings purchased under the Purchase of Land (Ireland) Act, 1885, of the annual value of from £50 to £100 was 568, and the number above the annual value of £100 was 260, making together 828. Applications in respect of 1,198 holdings have been refused, on the ground that the security for the loans applied for was not deemed sufficient; 529 of these cases were, however, subsequently sanctioned for reduced amounts.