§ DR. AMBROSE (Mayo, W.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the Congested Districts Board purchased, about four years ago, two large farms on the O'Donel Estate, at Newport, county Mayo, and have since used them for grazing purposes, notwithstanding the fact that they are situated in a congested district; and whether, with a view of improving the condition of the neighbouring tenants by enlargement of their holdings, he will see that those farms are immediately resold to them.
§ MR. WYNDHAMThe Board did not purchase the fee simple of the two farms in question, but only the tenants' interest. The estate has not yet been put up for sale, and until the Board acquire the fee it has no power to resell the farms.
§ DR. AMBROSEI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the receiver of the O'Donel Estate, at Newport, county Mayo, compelled the tenantry on last year and 1902 under threat of eviction to clear up the hanging gale, on the ground that the estate was about to be sold by the Court of Chancery, and that this estate has been kept in the Court of Chancery for over twenty years; and whether, seeing that the estate contains about 104,000 acres, comprising thirteen large grass farms, and is situated amongst a very poor and congested tenantry, he 983 will use his influence with a view to expediting the sale either to the Congested Districts Board or the Estates Commissioners, so that it may be redistributed amongst the neighbouring tenants.
§ MR. WYNDHAMAn Order for the sale of this estate was only made last November and the proceedings, which have proved extremely complicated and intricate, cannot, it is expected, be disposed of before the end of the year.