§ *MR. WILLIAM ABRAHAM (Cork County, N.E.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the original terms for the sale of the Kingston Estate were proposed by the agent for the property, and were submitted to a meeting of the tenants held in Mitchels town on 6th December last and rejected unanimously; that the subsequent counter-proposals of the tenants were not accepted by the landlord; that processes for ejectments were issued against forty tenants in January, and that nearly all the tenants were notified early in March to pay up a year's rent, unless the landlord's proposal of twenty-three years purchase of first-term rents was accepted; and, if so, if he will bring these matters under the notice of the Estates Commissioners.
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. WYNDHAM, Dover)The original terms of sale offered by the agent were formulated in reply to an application made through the parish priest. These terms were rejected by the tenants on the 6th December. The counter-proposals of the tenants were formulated on the same date and were not accepted. Only one ejectment process has since 364 been issued, and this was at the request of the tenant, for the purpose of proving title. No notices such as referred to at the end of the Question have been issued. The ordinary rent circulars were issued to tenants in March for the rent due to the previous September. This is the annual practice.
§ MR. WILLIAM ABRAHAMDoes the right hon. Gentleman adhere to his statement made in answer to a Question on the 11th instant that the Kingston Tenants repudiated their own terms of purchase?