HC Deb 27 June 1905 vol 148 cc266-7
MR. MURPHY

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to recent proceedings in the Land Judge's Court, in Dublin, relating to the insufficiency of funds for the purpose of carrying on sales of estates in Court; whether this insufficiency is caused by any new regulations issued to the Estates Commissioners; and, if so, or in any event, whether he proposes to take any steps to expedite the winding-up of this Court in accordance with the Resolution agreed to by Parliament.

MR. WALTER LONG

I beg to refer to the reply which I gave to this and similar Questions yesterday.‡

MR. T. W. RUSSELL (Tyrone, S.)

How can the Judge carry out the directions of the Court if funds are stopped?

MR. WALTER LONG

That Question is an unfair one.

MR. T. W. RUSSELL

Why?

MR. WALTER LONG

The hon. Member knows the cause of the present deadlock, and I am doing my best to find some way out of it.

MR. T. W. RUSSELL

I do not wish to rest under any imputation. The right hon. Gentleman must know that when the Resolution was passed by this House ordering the Land Judge to wind up the business of the Court, there had been £15,000,000 applied for under the Land Act, 1903, and it was perfectly well known that this stoppage would take place. † See (4) Debates, cxlvii., 717. ‡ See page 98.

MR. WALTER LONG

I do not know whether that be the case, but if it is it only strengthens my point. Nobody can be more anxious than the Government and myself to find a way out of the difficulty.