§ MR. MEAGHER (Kilkenny, K)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether in view of the fact that the Land Commissioners have power, under Section 12, Sub-section 1, of the Irish Land Act, 1903, to improve lands purchased by them, will he state how much land has been improved, drained, or reclaimed, and to what extent they have otherwise exercised the powers conferred on them by Section 12, Subsection 2, of the Act of 1903, or have the Land Commissioners issued any Return showing the amount of small or congested holdings which have been enlarged or exchanged by them?
(Answered by Mr. Bryce.) The Estates Commissioners inform mo that it would not be possible to furnish a statement of the exact area of land improved, drained, or reclaimed. They have, however, furnished me with the following summary, which indicates the matters on which sums have been expended by them for the benefit or improvement of estates or untenanted land under the section referred to. The figures given indicate the amounts sanctioned up to 31st March last for expenditure on the different matters enumerated, portion of the sums being still in course of expenditure, and the sums expended being drawn from the Reserve Fund pursuant to Section 43 (1) of the Act.
| £ | |
| Buildings and repair of houses | 17,465 |
| Drainage, fencing, and amalgamation of holdings | 2,508 |
| Improvement works generally | 4,495 |
| Advances and grants for stock | 5,420 |
| Special purposes | 594 |
| Total expenditure sanctioned to date | £30,482 |
§ Up to the present the Commissioners have not exercised the compulsory powers given them by Section 12, Sub-section (2), which have reference only to a congested estate. As appears by the Commissioners' Annual Report to 31st March, 1905, eighty-eight holdings had up to that date been enlarged by the addition of parcels, and from that date to 31st March, 1906, 170 additional holdings had been similarly enlarged, making a total of 258 holdings enlarged.