HC Deb 17 March 1893 vol 10 cc376-7
MR. HAYDEN (Roscommon, S.)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that arrangements were come to in November, 1890, between the Drapers' Company and 70 of their tenants in County Derry, under which the latter were to purchase their holdings, paying one half-year's rent in lieu of arrears; that the agent took proceedings at the recent Magherafelt Quarter Sessions for the recovery of 4 per cent. on the purchase money, under a clause in the terms of the arbitration enabling the Company to charge this interest if the delay in completing the purchase were not due to them; and that Mr. Glover, the agent, stated in Court that the delay was not due to the Company but to the Land Commission; and will he inquire if this statement is true; and, if so, what is the cause of the delay, which will result in a very serious loss to a number of poor tenants?

MR. J. MORLEY

I have received from the clerk to the Drapers' Company a communication in which he states that in an arbitration between the Company and certain of their tenants, on their estate in Ireland, an award was made dealing with arrears of rent and terms of purchase in some 550 cases, and that under this award the tenants were to pay interest on purchase-money at the rate of 4 per cent. per annum pending the completion of the sales. Having failed to do so, however, a number of civil bill processes were taken out by the Company, which, as stated in the question, were heard at the recent Magherafelt Quarter Sessions, and the cases were settled by the tenants agreeing to pay interest at 3⅛ per cent. to November 1st last. This settlement will not, I am informed, result in loss to any tenant, inasmuch as if the advances for purchase had been made by the Land Commission, the tenants would have had to pay interest at 4 per cent. instead of 3⅛ per cent., as provided by the terms of settlement at Quarter Sessions. Regarding the statement that the agent to the Company attributes the delay in the completion of the sales to the Land Commission, the latter deny that such is the case, and state that the delay in the proceedings is due to the Company.