§ MR. J. P. FARRELL (Cavan, W.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, what is the cause of the delay in the carrying out of the sales to the tenants of the Annaly Estate, county Longford; has the Inspector yet made his Report to the Land Commission; and is it the Land Commission that is causing the delay of completion of these sales?
§ *MR. GERALD BALFOURI am informed by the Registrar of the Land 259 Judges Court that since the 12th March last, when I replied to a somewhat similar question addressed to me by the hon. Member, some progress has been made towards a settlement of the rental. To facilitate the preparation of the rental and the sale of the holdings the Land Commission departed from their usual course and had the estate inspected prior to the preparation of the rental, and, as a rule, the Inspector's Report of his inspection was favourable. The Land Commission are in no way to blame for the delay that has occurred, and until the rental has been settled they cannot make an offer to purchase. Any delay that may have taken place rests, I am informed, with the solicitor who has charge of the proceedings.