§ MR. CULLINAN (Tipperary, S.)On behalf of the hon. Member for North Longford I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that Mr. John L. Thompson, nominal owner of the Clonfin (county Longford) Estate was willing to sell his interest to the tenants on the Clonfin Estate; that this offer was communicated to the Scottish Union and National Insurance Company, the mortgagees in possession, but they never replied to the tenant's request; and whether, seeing that this is an insolvent estate within the meaning of the Act of 1903, steps will be taken by the Estates Commissioners to purchase the same.
I beg also to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he will state how many writs and processes have been served within the past five years on tenants on the estate of John M. Thompson, Clonfin, county Longford; whether he is aware that these tenants have been brought to the verge of bankruptcy by Mr. Deane, the receiver under the Court; and, if so, will steps be taken at once to take the management of this estate out of the hands of Mr. Deane.
MR. BRYCEI have referred these questions both to the Land Judge's Court and to the Estates Commissioners. The Registrar of the Court informs me that, so far as can be ascertained, there is no Court receiver over the estate mentioned. The suggestion made in the first Question that mortgagees are in possession would, if accurate, at once negative the assumption that there is a receiver over the estate. The Estates Commissioners have no knowledge of the facts, but they have, in pursuance of the suggestion made by the hon. Member on June 18th †, entered into communication with the firm of solicitors whom he named as representing the owners of the property. The Commissioners have not yet had any reply, but they are prepared to consider the question of purchase if the owners should be willing to sell.