§ MR. JAMES DALY (Monaghan S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1) whether 1598 he is aware that much uneasiness prevails among tenants on the Bath Estate, county Monaghan, who sent their deeds to the Irish Land Commissioners years ago and have not yet got them back; (2) will he explain why, since some tenants have got their deeds returned, all the deeds have not been given up to the tenants in questions; and (3) what steps will he take to get the Irish Land Commissioners to deliver up the deeds not yet returned?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURI have no knowledge of the fact stated in the first paragraph beyond what is alleged by the hon. Member, but if such uneasiness does prevail, I may, perhaps, assure him that there is no reason for the feeling. It is not accurate to say that some of the tenants have got back the documents forwarded by them to the Land Commission. The documents sent up by the purchasers were copies of the conveyances or vesting orders made at the date of purchase, which were deposited by the Commissioners with the Registrar of Titles. A copy of the Land Certificate is, in every case, upon the completion of tine registration, furnished to the tenants free of charge. This is no doubt the document to which the Question refers; some of the tenants on the estate have already received it, and the remaining tenants will receive it in due course.
§ MR. DALYasked whether some of the tenants had not sent in their deeds at all to the Commissioners?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURIn that case, of course the deeds have not been registered.