MR. DOHERTY (Donegal, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that over 200 tenants on the estates of R.G. Young, Esq., Culdaff, county Donegal, signed agreements to purchase their holdings under the Land Act of 1903 in March, 1904;that the estate was inspected in August, 1904, and all the queries raised by the inspector satisfactorily discharged; whether, seeing that the tenants have since paid punctually interest at the rate of 3½ per cent. on the purchase money, he will say what is the reason for the delay in vesting the holdings in the tenants, by which the amounts of the hall-yearly payments would be reduced; whether the Commissioners have received letters from the tenants complaining of the delay; and, if so, why they have not replied to them.
*MR. BRYCEThe Estates Commissioners inform mo that the estate in question was first inspected in August, 1904, but having regard to the fact that a considerable number of the tenants had refused to sign purchase agreements, and that part of the estate was congested, the Commissioners decided to deal with the estate in two portions, one of which was to be sold to the tenants by direct sale (Section 1) and the other to be sold to the Commissioners under Section 6. With the object of making an offer to the vendor for the latter portion, the Commissioners instructed another inspector to visit this portion of the property and also to report on certain holdings included in the direct sale which were described as judicial holdings. On consideration of the second report the Commissioners decided to visit the estate personally and suspend the completion of the sale until they should have an opportunity of doing so. Owing to the demands upon the time of the Commissioners, which made it difficult for them to leave Dublin, some time elapsed before this visit could be made. As a result of their visit the Commissioners have decided that a further report must be made before the advances applied for could be made. The inspector to whom the estate has been referred has met with an accident and will not be able to visit the estate until January, and until his Report has been received no further action can be taken. Letters have been received from several tenants on the estate and will be dealt with when the Commissioners have received the further Report.