§ DR. AMBROSE (Mayo, W.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the Congested Districts Board purchased, about three years ago, from the Earl of Lucan a grazing farm at Tallanbaune, near Louisburgh, county Mayo, and that the tenants have been paying rent to the Board for the past two years; can he give any reason why the Board has not, up to the present, striped this land amongst the tenants, who live on miserable holdings and for whose benefit it was purchased; whether he is aware that two tenants of the Board live on the island of Invertekel; whether the Board intend to take any steps to migrate them on to the arable land; and can he say whether it is the intention of the Board to give any of 848 this land to the grazier, who resides in England.
(Answered by Mr. Bryce.) The fee of the lands in question did not become vested in the Congested Districts Board until May, 1905, whereupon notice to quit was served on the grazing tenant in occupation; and this notice will not mature until May next. When possession has been obtained the Board will lose no time in making arrangements for disposing of the land for the relief of congestion. Small holdings of tenants on any island on the estate will be enlarged if land is available. The island of Invertekel is not known. The Board have no knowledge of the grazier referred to in the Question, unless he be the grazing tenant already mentioned. All tenants in occupation of land belonging to the Board must pay rent until arrangements can be made for selling their holdings to them.