§ MR. LIDDELL (Down, W.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he will explain the cause of the delay on the part of the Estates Commissioners in dealing with the Altmore Estate, Letterkenny, the property of Mr. E. C. Mansfield; if the Estates Commissioners will, after twelve months, now communicate their decision either to accept or to decline the offer to purchase this property; how many inspections of it they have already made; and what has been done since the date of the last.
(Answered by Mr. Walter Long.) An originating application in respect of the direct sale, by landlord to tenants, of the estate of Mr. E. C. Mansfield was lodged on July 15th, 1905. Previously the Commissioners had, at the request of the owner, caused a preliminary inspection to be made of the demesne on the estate for the purpose of ascertaining what amount could be advanced upon it. The inspector's report was received on December 1st, 1904, and the result communicated to the landlord. The application which has now been received will be taken up in order of priority. There has been no delay on the part of the Commissioners.