§ MR. CHARLES CRAIG (Antrim, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether lie is aware that there are seven occupiers of land on the Cusack Estate in the county of Longford who have, during the last ten years, with the exception of 1903, held same for grazing; that these tenants in last October signed agreements for tenancies, and have subsequently signed proposals to purchase under the Act of 1903, with the concurrence of the solicitors having carriage of the sale; and whether he can inform the House how soon the Estates Commissioners will be in a position to approve of the sale of these interests to the said occupiers.
§ MR. CULLINAN (Tipperary, S.)Before the right hon. Gentleman answers the Question, may I ask if he will advise the Commissioners not to approve this purchase, but to acquire the land themselves.
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. WYNDHAM,) DoverI think the Estates Commissioners are competent to administer the Act without any intervention on my part. I understand that portions of this property which were let for some years on agistment contracts were in February last let to the grazing tenants under Land Court tenancies, and that prices for sale to them were provisionally agreed upon. The Estates Commissioners have since issued a request to the Land Judge with a view to the purchase of the entire 39 estate under the provisions of Section 7 of the Act. When the necessary documents have been lodged wth the Commissioners, they will cause the estate to be inspected, and will consider the terms of an offer for the property.