§ MR. GINNELLI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the Irish Government, having regard to the need for the distribution of untenanted land, and the small progress so far made under the voluntary system, propose to exhaust the possibilities of that system this year by getting the Estates Commissioners to communicate directly a uniform letter to all owners of such land as shown on the forthcoming Return, and subsequently submitting to Parliament a Report showing the number of years purchase of the valuation asked, the refusals to sell, and the refusals to reply, respectively.
MR. BRYCEThe Estates Commissioners inform me that when the Return in question has been prepared they propose to inquire from the owners of untenanted land, which appears suitable for purchase, whether they would be willing to sell such land to the Commissioners. Progress under the present voluntary system is now being accelerated. It would at present be altogether premature to make any statement upon the point raised in the concluding part of the Question.