§ MR. MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any steps have been, or will be, taken on the falling in of leases under which lands are held from the Crown in the Falkland Islands, to facilitate the purchase of these lands on reasonable terms by the inhabitants of the islands?
THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Mr. S. Buvrox,) Tower Hamlets, PoplarThe Law Officers of the Crown advised that, oil the falling in of Crown leases in the Falkland Islands, the lessees are entitled to a renewal of their leases for 21 years, unless the land is required for sale or for public purposes. The Secretary of State had, therefore, no power to modify the terms of the leases. But the Governor of the Falkland Islands bass been instructed, if he is satisfied that there is a real demand for the purchase of hind on the part of inhabitants of the colony, to reserve and put up for sale by auction suitable portions of land of which the leases have fallen in, with due consideration to all the interests involved.