§ MR. GINNELLTo ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, does the practice set forth by the Estates Commissioners on page 9 of their last annual Report apply; if not, what is their practice when, in a district in which descendants of evicted tenants are in need of land and willing to buy it at its true value, the owner of the evicted and untenanted land attempts to get paid twice for it and to defeat the in- 1478 tention of Parliament by first selling a new tenant's interest to the highest bidder subject to the condition of signing a judicial agreement in order that the fee simple may then be sold to him within the zones, and that thus inspection and the jurisdiction of the Commissioners may be ousted; and, if the Commissioners have discretionary power to prevent such an abuse, will they note that Miss M'Cormack now advertises her intention to practice it with reference to her lands on the borders of Westmeath and Longford.
§ (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Estates Commissioners inform me that their practice remains as described on page 9 of their last annual Report. The Commissioners have no information in regard to Miss M'Cormack's property, but have made a note of the fact alleged in the Question.