§ MR. DUFFYI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether agreements to purchase were signed on the 4th May, 1905, by the tenants on the property of Major Hall, Newcastle, Athenry, county Galway, whether these agreements were signed conditionally on the Estates Commissioners purchasing the untenanted land on the estate in the interests of the tenants; and whether he will state what steps, if any, have been taken to acquire the untenanted land.
MR. BRYCEThe Estates Commissioners inform me that they are considering the question of purchasing the estate referred to under Section 6 of the Act. They have had a preliminary inspection made of portion of the untenanted land, and have furnished to the vendor an estimate of the price which they are prepared to give for it. No undertakings to purchase by the tenants have yet been lodged; but the whole of the estate is now being inspected, including the remainder of the untenanted land.