§ MR. MURNAGHAN (Tyrone, Mid)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is 340 aware that the Estates Commissioners purchased for a Donegal evicted tenant, named N. Dunlop, a holding at Mullaghslin, Six-mile-cross, county Tyrone; that Dunlop, on signing the agreement, informed the Commissioners that he had not yet seen the farm, and asked that the money should not be paid till he satisfied himself the farm was as described; and that Dunlop, on getting possession, complained that the arable acreage was less than stated by the vendor, and asked the Commissioners to send an inspector to report on the matter; and will he say if the inspector's report bore out Dunlop's contention that the arable acreage, instead of being fifty-seven, was only twenty-seven, the other thirty acres incapable of cultivation; and, if Dunlop did not get the opportunity asked for, and if the farm is incapable of earning the annual instalments, will the Commissioners take the matter into consideration with the view of reducing the instalments to a reasonable figure.
(Answered by Mr. Walter Long.) I stated the facts of this case, which was one of direct sale by the landlord to the tenant, in reply to the hon. Member's. Question of 15th May. † Mr. Dunlop did not inform the Commissioners, before the holding was vested in him, that he had not seen the lands before signing the purchase agreement, nor did he ask them, prior to the advance of the purchase money, that the advance should not be made until he had satisfied himself of the vendor's description to him of the lands. Before sanctioning; the advance, the Commissioners satisfied themselves as to the security. They have no power either to reduce the advance which has been made, or to vary the purchase annuity which Dunlop contracted to pay.