§ MR. P. A. McHUGHTo ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can, without going into further particulars, state the average number of years purchase agreed upon by the 3,070 occupiers who have already lodged agreements to purchase under the Irish Land Purchase Act of 1903.
(Answered by Mr. Wyndham.) To obtain this information it would be necessary to examine in detail the terms of purchase in each of these 3,070 cases. I have already stated that such an analysis would impose on the small staff at the disposal of the Estates Commissioners an amount of labour which I cannot at present see my way to ask them to undertake, the more especially at a time when they are burdened with many onerous duties in the administration of an Act which has so recently been brought into operation. Reports of the proceedings of the Commissioners will be duly laid on the Table of the House as required by Section 23 (14) of the Act.