§ MR. JAMES O'CONNORI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that tenants on the Fitzwilliam estate, county Wicklow, who declined to purchase their holdings at the price demanded, have been called upon to pay I in January rents formerly paid in March; that owing to this action on the part of the landlord, some of the tenants have signed agreements to purchase, and against these who refused, decrees for rent were obtained at the last quarter sessions in Tinahely; and whether he will advise the Estates Commissioners to make inquiry into this practice of forcing sales upon reluctant tenants before they sanction the sales to these tenants.
MR. BRYCEThe Estates Commissioners inform me that they have no knowledge that the facts are as stated in the Question. If the Commissioners should become aware, either from the report of their inspector or otherwise, that the purchasing tenant, in any case, has been induced by undue pressure to sign the purchase agreement, they will take such action as they may deem necessary.
§ MR. WILLIAM O'BRIEN (Cork)asked if the right hon. Gentleman would secure the publication of the terms of a letter he (Mr. O'Brien) had received from the Estates Commissioners, describing the action they would take in cases when tenants had been coerced by undue pressure, or other intimidatory methods, to agree to a sale.
MR. BRYCEsuggested that that was a matter for the Commissioners to decide. He had very little power to interfere with them, but he had no doubt they would desire to make public the information referred to by the hon. Member.