§ MR. J. P. FARRELLI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieuten ant of Ireland whether he is aware that in 1894 a number of tenants on the Annaly (Rathcliue) estate, County Longford, signed undertakings to purchase their holdings through the Land Commission, and that, after repeated delays and an application in Judge Ross's Court, agreements were entered into by a number of tenants to purchase under the Act of 1896; whether he is aware that in the case of well-to-do tenants on the property these; agreements have been passed, but in the case of poorer tenants the applications for advances have not been approved, also that the tenants who purchased were allowed an immediate reduction of 15 per cent, off their rents, whilst those who through no fault of their own were unable to purchase were not given any reduction; and whether, as those tenants were induced to sign their agreements on the promise that they would be vested inside two years, and as now nearly six years has elapsed without the promise being kept he will press upon the Land Commission the necessity and desirability of having the vesting orders issued without any further delay.
§ MR. ATKINSON (for Mr. G. W. BALFOUR)There are no purchase proceedings now pending in the Land Commission on the estate of Lord Annaly. In all cases in which applications for advances were lodged the holdings have been vested.