§ MR. HALPIN (Clare, W.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that Lord Inchiquin has caused his solicitor to threaten the tenants on his estate with writs for the payment of rents, as the tenants would not agree to pay the purchase price demanded for the estate; whether the Estates Commissioners will negotiate with the landlord for a purchase, seeing that the tenants at a public meeting at Newmarket-on-Fergus, presided over by the Rev. M. Hogan, Adm., have declared that they are ready to buy at fair prices; or whether he proposes to take any stops to prevent the unrest that will arise if Lord Inchiquin is allowed to press for the payment of excessive rents.
§ MR. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners have no information as to the matter of fact alleged in the Question. No proceedings for the sale of the estate referred to have been instituted before the Commissioners, and they have received no request that they should intervene as conciliators under the Lord. Lieutenant's Regulations. If any such application should be made to them, they will give it due consideration.
§ MR. HALPINIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that some of the tenants offered eighteen and a-half years purchase and some twenty and a-half?
§ MR. BIRRELLI have no information as to that.