HC Deb 22 March 1906 vol 154 cc584-5
MR. GINNELL

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland what has been the gross cost to the State, year by year, of the Land Judge's Court in Ireland since its establishment, including every office and position whatsoever appertaining thereto, are the functions of that Court analogous to those of a Bankruptcy Court; what statutory authority, if any, does that Court possess for refusing to sell insolvent property at its value, assuming to itself the role of a permanent landlord, and appointing and maintaining permanent land agents under the name of receivers; and whether, seeing that Parliament has repeatedly ordered the insolvent estates in that Court to be sold, what steps does His Majesty's Government propose to take to expedite this work.

(Answered by Mr. Bryce.) I am informed that the cost to the State of the Land Judge's Court can be ascertained by a reference to the Estimates from year to year, but it should be remembered that the cost is diminished by the duties levied, in pursuant of statute, on sales made and accounts passed by the Court. The Land Judge informs me that the functions of his Court are in no way analogous to those of a Bankruptcy Court; that the Court has never refused to sell insolvent property at its value, and has never assumed the role of a permanent landlord or appointed permanent land agents as receivers. The learned judge adds that his tribunal has been always kept busy, and that nothing has been left undone to clear the Court of the estates under its jurisdiction, those which had accumulated in it during the last thirty years having amounted to almost one-fourth of the whole of Ireland.