§ MR. SHEEHAN (Cork County, Mid.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether it is customary with the Estates Commissioners to deal with estates in their order of priority; whether in any cases estates are taken out of this order and specially dealt with; if so, what principles are observed by the Commissioners as governing factors in those estates which are exceptionally favoured; and is he aware that complaints are being made by the tenants on smaller properties that their interests in this way are unfairly treated, and that the poorer landlords and tenants are placed at a disadvantage by the methods of administration pursued by the Estates Commissioners.
(Answered by Mr. Birrell.) It is the practice of the Estates Commissioners to deal with estates in the order in which the purchase agreements are lodged, but in a few instances the Commissioners have accelerated the inspection of estates with a view to the reinstatement of evicted tenants or to the termination of acute differences existing between the landlord and tenants. The Commissioners are not aware that any complaints of the nature mentioned in the Question have been made.