MR. C. MACVEIGH (Donegal, E.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the attention of the Estates Commissioners has been called to the case of Mrs. Margaret Bell, who was evicted from her farm on the Marquess of Conyngham's estate, near Stranorlar, county Donegal, about twelve months ago for non-payment of rent; whether he is aware that the landlord permitted the Londonderry Provident Building Society to take possession of Mrs. Bell's farm under cover of a small loan made to her and not fully paid up; whether he is aware that the building society have obtained compensation from the Local Government Board for land acquired for labourers' cottages, and is otherwise making profit out of this farm; whether he is aware that the estate is being sold to the tenants, and that the building society is trying to purchase Mrs. Bell's farm in this way, whilst she can get no reply to her application to purchase; and whether, seeing that she may lose her farm, he will direct that an inspector be sent down to inquire into the matter, and that Mrs. Bell be either reinstated or compensated for the loss of her farm before the sale is sanctioned by the Commissioners.
§ MR. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners inform me that proceedings for sale of the estate of the Marquess of Conyngham have been instituted before them, but the case will not reach its turn to be dealt with for a considerable time. In 1904 Mrs. Bell was awarded £93 10s compensation in respect of her interest in two acres of land which were being taken for labourers' cottages by the rural district council. The Local Government Board have no knowledge that the building society referred to received the compensation, but if such was the case it is assumed that the society obtained payment either in its capacity as mortgagee of Mrs. 349 Bell's interest, or as occupier, if the mortgage had been foreclosed. The payment of compensation in such cases is made by the district council independently of the Local Government Board. Upon the facts as stated, the Estates Commissioners do not consider the matter to be one in which they should interfere.