§ MR. J. TULLYI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, whether he can state if it has come to the knowledge of the Land Commission that in the case of Samuel Gordon Dreeminchin, Newtowngore, South Leitrim, a tenant who has purchased his holding on the Godley estate, the late land agent is endeavouring to recover arrears of rent which were understood to have been wiped out at the time of the purchase of this holding; and, whether the Land Commission intend to take any steps for the protection of this tenant in the purchase he has made in their court.
MR. J. MORLEYThe attention of the Land Commissioners was drawn to this case in January last, and they wrote to the solicitors for the vendors, directing their attention to the irregular proceedings which had been taken against the tenant for the recovery of interest in excess of six months upon the purchase money in cases where the purchases had 337 been completed. The solicitors there-upon informed the agent that no proceedings should be taken against the tenant, save for the purpose of recovering a half-year's interest. The irregular proceedings referred to were for excessive interest and not for arrears of rent due at the date of the agreement to purchase. All arrears of rent are wiped out by force of the 3rd Section of the Land Act, 1888.