§ MR. GINNELLI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether, in view of the sum of money involved and the consequences to the Irish people, he will appoint a small committee of independent and impartial financial experts, with suitable actuarial assistance, to test the financial soundness of paying vendors, under the Land Act of 1903, without ascertaining the value of the thing they sell, an average of six and a half years purchase more than the average prices under the Acts which 986 required the value to be ascertained by inspection, together with a bonus inflated proportionally with this inflated price, and also to test the financial soundness of the model calculation appearing on page 7 of the last Annual Report of the Estates Commissioners.
§ MR. BIRRELLThe suggestion of the Question appears to be that purchasers are paying too much for their holdings, and upon this point I would remind the hon. Member of my predecessor's reply to his Question of 27th March, 1906, namely, that it is reasonable to suppose that purchasers have found it to their advantage, in free bargains, to pay the price they have given under the Act of 1903, and that nothing has occurred to show that the amounts so advanced are not secured.
§ MR. GINNELLThe right hon. Gentleman has not answered my Question as to the appointment of a Committee of experts.
§ MR. BIRRELLI do not think I am in a position at present to advise the appointment of such a Committee.