HC Deb 26 July 1894 vol 27 cc1004-5
MR. TULLY (Leitrim, S.)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether the Land Commission are aware that numerous complaints have been made by the tenants on the Godley Estate, South Leitrim, as to the serious delay and obstacles placed in the way of the purchase of their holdings by the landlord's solicitor; that Bernard Rourke, of Toome, Carrigallen, was one of 60 tenants who signed agreements to purchase their holdings under the Ashbourne Act in April, 1890; that the Land Commission Inspector and Surveyer examined his farm at the same time as that of the other tenants, and though he paid three half-yearly instalments of interest to the solicitor, his agreement to purchase was nilled; that in December, 1892, the landlord's solicitor asked this tenant to pay up the interest, and that he could buy under the Land Purchase Act of 1891, and that after the tenant had been threatened to be sued for old arrears of rent, he was sent for signature an agreement to purchase which omitted a bog in his possession for 40 years; and whether the Land Commission will order an inquiry into this case, and the general treatment of the tenant purchasers on this estate by the vendor's solicitor?

MR. J. MORLEY

The Land Commission are aware that complaints have been made by the tenants on the Godley Estate, County Leitrim, as to the non-lodgment of agreements for purchase which are alleged to have been executed by the tenants during the year 1890. As to the case of Bernard Rourke, no application for a loan to enable him to purchase his holding was ever filed, either under the Ashbourne Acts or the Purchase of Land (Ireland) Act, 1891. The holding was inspected in November, 1890, at the request of the solicitor for the vendor, in view of an agreement being entered into. The Commissioners have no knowledge of any further proceedings as to this case. Almost all the applications lodged on this estate under the Ashbourne Acts and the Act of 1891 have been closed, and the Commissioners state that they have no power to order an inquiry either into the case of Bernard Rourke or with reference as to the general treatment of the tenants by the vendor's solicitor. This is a matter altogether between the tenants and the vendor.