§ MR. DELANY (Queen's County, Ossory)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can say what progress has been made in the negotiations for the purchase by the Estates Commissioners of the estate of Captain Caldbeck, Ballocolla, Queen's County, 250 acres of which is un-tenanted; can he state what price Captain Caldbeck has asked; and whether the Commissioners have made an offer, and, if so, what sum.
§ (Answered by Mr. Bryce.) I am informed by the Estates Commissioners that the vendor in this case consented in June last to sell his estate to them under Section 6 of the Act of 1903. The Commissioners have since had the estate inspected with a view to purchase, and their inspector's report was received at the end of September. Important queries upon the report have since delayed the consideration of the matter, but the report is now ready for the Commissioners' consideration, and they hope shortly to deal with the matter.