§ MR. POWER (Waterford, E.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that Mr. Guiry, inspector of Estates Commissioners, met some evicted tenants of the estate of J. G. Beresford, near Stradbally, county Waterford, on the 2nd instant; that Mr. Beresford has long since lodged an application with the Estates Commissioners for the sale of certain lands at or near Stradbally, under the Land Act of 1903, and asking to have them declared an estate: and that Mr. Beresford ordered the inspector to desist from inspecting portions of his estate consisting of evicted farms and untenanted land; and whether, in view of the necessity of facilities being given to the inspectors of the Estates Commissioners to inspect lands on estates which it is proposed to sell, he will say what steps the Estates Commissioners now propose to take in this case.
MR. BRYCEThe Estates Commissioners inform me that the applications of the evicted tenants on Mr. Beresford's estate were referred to an inspector for inquiry. His report, however, has not yet been received, and in the meantime the Commissioners have no information as to what happened at his inspection. Upon the receipt of the report the Commissioners will deal with the matter. It is the fact that purchase agreements in respect of portion of the estate have been lodged with the Commissioners, but in the ordinary course the case will not, in order of priority, be reached this year.