§ MR. JAMES O'KELLYI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that, in connection with the sale of Lord Crofton's estate in the county of Roscommon, a grazing farm of 270 Irish acres is about to be sold to four persons named Cotton, whose tenancies were created by the landlord's agent for the purpose of carrying out a sale to them; and whether, seeing that the sale, if carried out, will deprive the Estates Commissioners of the opportunity of properly dealing with the small tenants and labourers of the district in regard to the enlargement of holdings and otherwise, he will take any steps to prevent a sale to these persons.
§ MR. ATKINSON (for Mr. WYNDHAM)Agreements for purchase by tenants on this estate were lodged with the Commissioners so recently as January 5th. The estate has not yet been inspected, and pending the receipt of the inspector's report the Commissioners cannot make any statement in respect to the matters mentioned in the Question.