MR, GINNELL (Westmeath, N.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he will now state the number of holdings sold under the Land Act of 1903, within the zones and outside the zones respectively, and the number in each of these classes in which the price agreed upon has been refused as excessive, down to 31st March, 1907.
§ (Answered by Mr. Birrell). The Report of the Estates Commissioners for the period ending 31st March, 1907, which is in course of preparation, will give the number of holdings sold within and outside the zones respectively, and also the number of applications for advances refused on the grounds of insufficient security. Having regard to the provision of Section 1 (1) of the Act, the power of the Commissioners to refuse applications for advances within the zones on the grounds of insufficient security is limited to the cases of holdings which are included in property declared to be an estate for the purposes of the Act of 1903.