HC Deb 17 June 1895 vol 34 cc1254-5
MR. EDWARD BLAKE (Longford, S.)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, would he explain the cause of the delay in the Land Judge's Court or elsewhere in completing the sale to the Land Commission of Lord Annaly's estate in County Longford, the tenants' undertakings having been signed more than a year ago; are the tenants liable during the interval to pay the unreduced rents; are the tenants at liberty, in view of the delay, to withdraw their undertakings; and when is it expected that the sale will be completed, and can anything be done to expedite it?

*THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. JOHN MORLEY, New castle-upon-Tyne)

This estate is, as stated in the question, for sale in the Land Judge's Court. I am informed that the rental has not been settled, and until it has been settled the Land Commission cannot make an offer to purchase. The Commissioners, however, understand that it is probable that the rental will be settled at an early date. In the case of proceedings pending in the Land Judge's Court, until the sale takes place the tenants remain liable for the existing rents. The Commissioners cannot say whether any of the tenants in question are at liberty to withdraw from their undertakings; whether any tenant can do so or not depends upon the agreement he may have entered into. The Commissioners will, as far as it is possible for them to do so, endeavour to expedite the sale in question.

MR. BLAKE

asked, if the Land Judge had not been for a long time absent, and whether there was any prospect of his being able to resume his duties?

*MR. J. MORLEY

said, he was sorry to say that it was quite true that for a considerable time the Land Judge had been unable to take any part in the proceedings of the Court. He had no information as to whether that inability would disappear or not.

In reply to a question by MR. T. W. RUSSELL (Tyrone, S.),

*MR. J. MORLEY

said, he had observed that Lord Justice FitzGibbon, Mr. Justice Madden, and other judges, had for some time taken part in the proceedings.

MR. E. BLAKE

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he will state when it is expected that the sale to the Land Commission of Colonel Berdin's estate in County Longford, for which tenants' undertakings were signed about a year ago, will be completed; what is the cause of the delay; and can anything be done to expedite matters?

*MR. J. MORLEY

I am informed that the delay in this case is owing to the following circumstances:—Portions of the holdings on the estate are sub-let; the prices named in some of the cases seemed in excess of the amounts which would be adequately secured on resale; and no adequate provision appeared to have been made for the redemption of the outgoings. I am informed that it rests with the solicitors acting for the parties to meet these difficulties. The Land Commission will so far as possible endeavour to expedite the sale, but they explain that it rests in the first place with the solicitors acting for the parties and with the solicitors having carriage in the Land Judge's Court, to meet the manifest difficulties in the matter.