§ MR. JOHN ROCHE (Galway, E.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the Estates Commissioners will inquire before sanctioning the purchase price agreed on, between Lord Westmeath and his county Galway tenants, into the circumstances which led to the existing litigation between the landlord and sub-agent Moran; whether the amount claimed by the landlord in the writ against Moran is alleged to represent rent collected by Moran from the tenants; if so, will care be taken to prevent what Lord Westmeath treats as collected arrears, in one proceeding, from being included in the purchase bargain with the tenants; and whether the rent receipts given to the tenants in recent years will be examined by the Commissioners, and the tenants brought up before the Commissioners to ascertain the circumstances in which they were given.
MR. BRYCEThe Estates Commissioners inform me that no proceedings for the sale of this estate have been instituted before them, and that they have, therefore, no knowledge of the facts alleged in the Question. If the estate should come before the Commissioners, they will make due inquiries, in accordance with the Act and with the Regulations made thereunder.