MB. JOSEPH DEVLINI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that Major Hely, of Foulk's Court, Johnstown, county Kilkenny, has sold the Ballyonskill, Queen's county, portion of his estate to his tenants at twenty years purchase and refuses to sell the Foulk's Court portion at the same price, though the land is of bad quality; and that he has seized on the cattle of several tenants on the latter portion of his estate, and served ejectment processes on others, and that at the same time he is negotiating the sale of Foulk's Court demesne to the Estates Commissioners; and, if so, whether, under the circumstances, the Estates Commissioners will consider it advisable to purchase his mansion and demesne.
§ MR. WYNDHAMAgreements for purchase comprising the lands referred to have been lodged with the Commissioners (the average number of years purchase of the rent being 21.2), and, subject to the result of further inquiries, they have provisionally declared that these lands may be regarded as an estate. The vendor also proposed to re-purchase his demesne, but no order has yet been made on this application. The lands adjoining the demesne were not included in the originating application as part of the estate which the vendor contemplated selling.