§ MR. WILLIAM ABRAHAM (Cork County, N.E.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to an inquiry held by the Estates Commissioners at their offices in Dublin last November, into complaints made by certain tenants on the Kingston estate, County Cork, to the effect that they were compelled to sign purchase agreements under duress, having been served with writs and processes of ejectment by the landlord; whether the Commissioners having fully investigated the matter and heard the evidence on both sides, have, during last week, informed the agent of the estate that they would only sanction the purchase agreements entered into by the remainder of the tenants, but would constitute the holdings of the complaining tenants a separate estate, and would make no advances thereon for a period of four months, and that meanwhile these tenants could move in court to have the agreements set aside, on account of undue influences and exorbitant prices; and if he will explain why it is that the Estates Commissioners, having ample powers to decide the question of duress, have not done so, but would apparently oblige these tenants to seek a decision in a court of law at considerable expense.
(Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Estates Commissioners held an inquiry into the allegations of duress made by some of the tenants on the Kingston estate and decided on adopting the course mentioned in the Question. The Commissioners considered that they had not 1716 sufficient materials before them to decide the questions raised, which, in their opinion should, if the purchasers desire to test them, be disposed of by the ordinary legal tribunals.