§ Mr. JOHN MURPHYasked the Chief Secretary whether Mr. William Golby was paid his purchase money on 7th November, 1907, for his estate at Ballinahulla, county Kerry; whether the Land Commission only paid the Treasury 3 per cent, since that date, but had charged the tenants 3½ per cent, to 1st May, 1909; and whether, if this was so, he could state to what fund the profit made on the transaction went?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThis estate was sold to the Estates Commissioners under Section 6 of the Irish Land Act, 1903, and the purchase money was paid on 7th November, 1907. The holdings were vested in the tenants, with two exceptions, on 1st May last. Between those dates the Land Commission paid 3¼ per cent, to the Trea- 2285 sury on the advance, and the tenants paid 3½ per cent, interest to the Land Commission. The explanation of this difference of ¼ per cent, and the purposes to which it is devoted are fully stated in my reply to a question asked by the hon. Member for South Kildare on 30th November last, to which I would refer the hon. Member.
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe estates purchased often include a considerable extent of untenanted land, which has to be held by the Commissioners for distribution for some time after the vendor has been paid the agreed price. This involves expenses of management and the payment of local rates and taxes. The ¼ per cent, is required for these payments, and also for the working balance to meet the claims of the National Debt Commissioners. The Treasury does not get anything out of it at all.
§ Mr. KILBRIDEDoes an auditor of the Government or anybody else know what this working balance is, and how it is applied?
§ Mr. BIRRELLYes. There is really no secret in the matter whatever.
§ Mr. MURPHYHaving regard to the fact that there is no untenanted land on this estate, will the right hon. Gentleman direct that the tenants should be refunded the money?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThere are expenses of management, local rates and taxes, and matters of that kind, which absorb the small difference between the two percentages.