§ MR. CHARLES CRAIG (Antrim, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he is aware that Mr. H. Lewis, of Loughrea, was informed by the solicitor having carriage of the proceedings in the Land Judge's Court, that he would recommend a proposal by him for the purchase of his Court tenancy on the estate of the trustees of D. J. Burke, at the sum of £700, or twenty-three-and-a-ha lf years purchase of the rent; and that the Congested Districts Board made an offer over the head of the occupying tenant, Mr. Lewis, to purchase this holding at £1,100, or thirty-six-and-two-third years purchase of the rent; and, if so, will be state who are the members of the Board who were present when it was 1212 decided to pay this sum for the farm; and what explanation is forthcoming for an offer by the Board so much in excess of the value arrived at by the solicitor having carriage of the sale.
§ MR. WYNDHAMMr. Lewis has informed the Board that the solicitors having carriage of the sale stated they would recommend Mr. Lewis' offer. They did recommend its acceptance to the owners, by whom, however, it was considered insufficient. Mr. Lewis held Lot 1 on a lease pending the sale—i.e. a Court letting—at £30 a year. The Poor Law valuation is £66 5s. a year. The Board's offer of £1,100, or sixteen-and-three-fifths years purchase of the valuation, was reasonable. The land is held to be well worth the money. It is no part of the Government policy to establish tenancies which do not exist. It is part of the Government policy to purchase untenanted land for the purpose of relieving congestion. The members of the Board present at the meeting when it was decided to make the offer were Sir Antony MacDonnell, Lord Shaftesbury, Mr. Geoghegan, Mr. Kennedy, and the Rev. Denis O'Hara. The decision was in conformity with the usual practice of the Board.
§ MR. KILBRIDE (Kildare, S.)May I ask the right hon. Gentleman how it was in the interests of the estate that Mr. Lewis should hold the farm at 50 per cent. under the Government valuation?
§ ME. WYNDHAMI think the hon. Gentleman is quite familiar with re-lettings of the Court lands. When an estate is in the Land Judge's Court, in order to derive some revenue from it, it is let from year to year for any sum that can be obtained.
§ MR. CHARLES CRAIGI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if the Congested Districts Board became the purchasers of Lot 2 of the estate of the trustees of D. J. Burke; who are the parties described as trustees; did the Congested, Districts Board decline to purchase Lot 1213 2 unless they were also accepted as purchasers of Lot 1, in the occupation of Mr. Lewis; and, if so, whether, seeing that these lots are situate in different counties and separate from each other, he will state under what circumstances did the Board determine to deprive Mr. Lewis of his holding.
§ MR. WYNDHAM(1) The reply to the first query is, Yes. (2) The trustees under the will of the owner are the Most Rev. Dr. Healy and the Rev. J. Cahalan. The reply to the third query is, Yes. There were two lots: Lot 1, untenanted, and leased pending sale on a Court letting to Mr. Lewis; Lot 2, tenanted and congested. The Board would not have bought Lot 2 unless they could also secure Lot 1 to relieve the congestion in Lot 2. Their action was in strict accordance with all previous legislation dealing with the relief of congestion by migration as embodied in the Act of 1891 and amending Acts.