HC Deb 13 March 1906 vol 153 cc1109-10
MR. MURPHY (Kerry, E.)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland what is the explanation of the fact that 3,812 loans for £1,459,530 were refused under the Land Purchase (Ireland) Acts, 1885 and 1888, under which loans for £9,992,536 were issued; that under the Acts of 1891 to 1896, 4,355 loans for £1,300,469 were refused, and £13,190,540 loans issued; while under the Land Act of 1903, under which £9,212,650 loans have been issued, the loans refused only number 61 for £25,371.

MR. BRYCE

With reference to the number of applications refused under the earlier Acts, I beg to refer to my reply to a Question of the hon. Member for North Westmeath on Thursday last.† The Land Commissioners inform me that the number 61 applications for £25,371 mentioned in the latter part of the present Question, is, as will be seen from the Parliamentary Return of proceedings of the Irish Land Commission during the month of January, 1906, page 9, limited to applications for advances under the Act of 1903 made to the Land Commission other than the Estate Commissioners, which were refused, dismissed, or withdrawn for defects in title, irregularity, insufficiency of security or other causes. The total number of applications for advances under the Act of 1903 (including the refused applications referred to) made to the Land Commission other than the Estates Commissioners was 5,086 for £949,427. Apparently the figures †See (4) Debates, cliii., 619. £9,212,650 were quoted in the Question under a misapprehension. It would not be possible within the limits of an Answer to enter upon an explanation of these complicated statistics.

MR. KILBRIDE

Is it not the fact that while advances were refused under former Land Purchase Acts because the inspectors held that the land was not sufficient security under the Act of 1903, although the prices had been raised by five or six years' purchase no refusals had taken place?

MR. BRYCE

I ought to have notice of that Question. I may say the provisions of the new Act are rather different from those of the previous Act.