§ MR. P. MEEHANI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, whether he is aware that Robert Anderson, Castlemitchel, Athy, is at present, and has been for over 20 years, the rated occupier of the lands of Fossey and Ballintha, on the Close estate, Queen's County, purchased under the Act of 1903, in the name of Stephen Marcus Telford; that Mr. Telford is a nephew of Mr. Anderson; that an assignment of these lands was made by Anderson to Telford immediately preceding the sale of the Close estate; that these lands were re-assigned to Anderson by Telford in 1906, that Robert Anderson was registered as owner in fee of the said lands, on 29th November, 1906, and that the considerations in both assignments were natural love and affection; whether he is aware that there 759 was advanced for the purchase of Robert Anderson's holding on the Leinster estate £4,173, and for the purchase of his holding on the Close estate £5,363, total £9,536; and whether if on inquiry he is satisfied that the advance of £9,536 for the purchase of land in the occupation of Robert Anderson, Castlemitchel, Athy, was obtained by misrepresentation, he will take steps to have the sale cancelled and to have that part of the land represented by the unauthorised amount of purchase money advanced, £2,536, acquired by the Estates Commissioners for evicted tenants and uneconomic holdings in the Timahoe district.
§ MR. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners inform me that Telford was returned by the landlord as the tenant of the lands in question. A purchase agreement signed by both parties having been lodged, the advance applied for by Telford was made and the lands were vested in him. The Commissioners are making inquiries as to the other statements in the Question, and if, on inquiry, they find that the advance was obtained by fraud or misrepresentation they propose to take such action as may be authorised by law.