§ MR. CULLINAN (Tipperary, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that negotiations were in course of progress for the sale of Fairholme estate, at Outrath, near Cahir, county Tipperary, on which is an evicted holding which the Estates Commissioners are willing to buy and the agent, Mr. Hunt, is willing to sell; whether the sale has been blocked by Captain Bloomfield, New Park, Waterford, who since the passing of the Land Act of 1903 has taken this evicted farm and demands £700 compensation; whether Captain Bloomfield has grabbed several evicted farms under similar circumstances; and whether he will see that such attempts to defeat the objects of the Land Act will be effectively dealt with.
§ MR. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners have no knowledge of any negotiations for the sale of this estate which may have taken place. They have received from an evicted tenant an application for reinstatement in his former holding now occupied by Captain Bloomfield, who asked £900 for his interest in the farm. As the evicted tenant holds a good farm elsewhere, the Commissioners decided to take no action on his application. The Commissioners are not aware whether Captain Bloomfield holds other evicted farms. The matter is entirely one for the decision of the Estates Commissioners.
§ MR. CULLINANIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that since the passing 1449 of the last Land Act several parties have, like Captain Bloomfield, taken over evicted holdings and levied blackmail on the estate. Will he, in his promised legislation regarding evicted tenants, bear that fact in mind and have these gentlemen cleared out?
§ [No Answer was returned.]