§ MR. DELANY (Queen's County, Ossory)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, whether he is aware that agreements to purchase their holdings have been signed by the tenants on the estate of the Earl of Drogheda, Ballyhupahaun, Rosenallis, Queen's County, at prices ranging from 25 to 26¼ years' purchase, exclusive of bonus; and whether, seeing that before the passing of the Act of 1903 the Land Commission, after inspection, refused to sanction a sale upon this identical estate at 18 years' purchase, when no bonus was payable, and in view of the fact that this is only a small and the poorest portion of the Drogheda estate in the locality, and in view of the increase of price, can he say if the Estates Commissioners are prepared to sanction this sale.
MR. BRYCEI am informed by the Estates Commissioners that sixty-eight agreements for the purchase of holdings | on the estate mentioned were lodged with them in January, 1905. The purchase prices are; as follows:—In three cases of second-term judicial rents, 26.3 years purchase; in twenty-three cases of first-term rents, 239 years purchase; and in the remaining forty- 346 two cases of non judicial rents, 25.7 years purchase. The estate is at present being inspected, and until the Commissioners have received their inspector's report, which will deal with the matters referred to in the latter part of the Question, it is not possible for them to say whether they will sanction the advances applied for.
§ MR. DELANYI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, whether he is aware that two tenants on the estate of the Earl of Drogheda at Rosenallis, named Dan Geoghegan and Joe Costello, were at the late quarter sessions in the Queen's County decreed for interest at the rate of 3½ per centum, payable to the Land Commission, pending completion of the purchase of their holdings; will he say whether the price agreed upon is 26¼ years purchase, and is he aware that Geoghegan had been served, previous to signing the agreement, with an eviction-made-easy notice under the Act of 1887 for 1½ years rent, and that those arrears together with costs were added to the purchase; and can he say whether the Estates Commissioners have sanctioned this sale.
MR. BRYCEI am informed by the Land Commission that Daniel Geoghegan, a tenant who had signed an agreement for the purchase of his holding upon the estate mentioned, was proceeded against at the sessions referred to for non-payment of £5 1s. 10d., interest in lieu of rent, being at the rate of 3½ per cent. on the purchase money, which purchase money is at the rate of 24.3 years purchase of the rent. Joseph Costello was not proceeded against, as he had paid the interest due by him. The Commissioners have no information as to whether Geoghegan had, before signing the purchase agreement, been served with notice under the Act of 1887. The Estates Commissioners have not as yet auctioned any of the advances applied for in the case of this estate. The estate is at present being inspected.