§ MR. P. A. MCHUGH (Leitrim, N.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the sale of the Owen Wynne Estate, including the town-land of Gregg, near Sligo, has been completed; has the Land Commission paid over the purchase money to the landlord; is he aware that Mrs. Kate Banks, of Cregg, on this estate, paid interest to the Land Commission, on 16th November, 1905, at the rate of 3¾ per cent., and that on 22nd January, 1906, the Estates Commissioners informed her by letter that her holding was excluded from the estate for sale; will he explain whether it was by order of the Land Commission that Mr. George Hewson, of Dromahair, county Leitrim, agent for Mr. Owen Wynne, applied to Mrs. Banks, on the 2nd June instant, for payment of. £5 8s. alleged to be due for interest pending sale; did Mrs. Banks, at the request of Mr. Hewson, sign an application for an advance of £332; was it found, on inspection, that her farm was not security for so large a price; will he see that Mrs. Banks' farm is included in the sale of the Owen Wynne Estate and sold to her at a fair price; and will he request the Estates Commissioners to stop further proceedings in connection with the sale of the Wynne Estate until the circumstances connected with Mrs. Barks' case are fully investigated.
1334 (Answered by Mr. Bryce.) The Estates Commissioners inform me that the sale of the estate in question was completed on 8th February, 1906, and the advances were made on that date. The funds have not yet been allocated. According to the purchase agreement signed by Mrs. Banks, the interest payable by her in lieu of rent was to be at the rate of 3¾ per cent., and this was duly collected by the Land Commission up to 1st November, 1905. On 22nd January, 1906, the Estates Commissioners informed Mrs. Banks that her holding was excluded from the estate for sale, and consequently the Land Commission ceased to collect interest as from 1st November, 1905, and the tenant became liable for rent or interest to the vendor. The Commissioners, however, have no information as to the amount demanded by Mr. Hewson, the agent. The Commissioners are not aware at whose instance Mrs. Banks signed the agreement for purchase. It was ascertained upon inspection that the holding would not afford security for the advance of £332 applied for, and the Commissioners therefore declined to sanction the advance. The agent for the vendor has undertaken to include Mrs. Banks' holding in the next estate of this vendor for sale, and when this estate comes before the Commissioners they will see that the undertaking is fully carried into effect.