§ Mr. J. MacVEAGH (for Mr. Duffy)asked whether the right hon. Gentleman is aware that Mr. John J. Smyth, of Mason Brock, Loughrea, sold out his estate situated in the townlands of Derry French, Bornakulla, Cormack, Lisheen, Brackla, and Garvaneath, so long ago as November, 1904; is he aware that Mr. Smyth has been paid the purchase money by the Estates Commissioners since August, 1907; whether he is aware that the tenants are still paying interest at the rate of 3½ per cent. on the purchase-money; and whether, in view of the fact that the landlord's interest has long since been cleared, he will direct the Commissioners to place the tenants on the annuitant rate of interest on the rents now falling due, and at the same time have the Commissioners to remit to the tenants the surplus interest paid by them since the date when the purchase money was paid to the landlord?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe purchase money of the estate referred to was advanced to the owner in August, 1907, by the Estates Commissioners, who purchased the property from him under Section 6 of the Irish Land Act, 1903. A large number of the holdings had to be re-arranged, improved and enlarged at a considerable expenditure out of the reserve fund in conjunction with an adjoining estate which has also been acquired by the Commissioners. Section 18 of the Act provides that the interest in lieu of rent shall be at the rate of not less than 3½ per cent., and in their purchase undertakings purchasing tenants agreed to pay interest at that rate until the lands were vested in them. The lands will be vested in the tenants at an early date. Meanwhile the tenants are not required to pay any interest on the increase of prices consequent upon the money expended by the Commissioners on improvements which have been now completed.