§ Mr. LARDNERasked the Chief Secretary if he was aware that there were a number of estates in Ireland in which originating applications were lodged before the 24th November, 1908, accompanied by portions of the purchase agreements duly signed, and that other tenants on these estates who did not sign before the 24th November, 1908, had since that date expressed their willingness to do so, but had not been allowed by the land- 899 lords of these estates on account of the deduction of the bonus; would he now state in what position the tenants who did sign purchase agreements now stood; whether the holdings of such tenants would be declared an estate within the meaning of the Land Act, 1903, in order to enable the sale of their holdings lo be carried through; would he state what was the position of the tenants who did not sign before the 24th November last, but who had since been willing to purchase; and were such tenants to be compelled to go on paying the old rent or would the bonus at the rate of 12 per cent, be paid on the entire estate, whether signed before the 24th November last or since, so as to place all the tenants on such estates on the same level and give effect to the original terms of sale agreed on between the landlords and their tenants on these estates?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI would refer the hon. Member to my reply to a similar Question asked by the hon. Member for Mid Cork on the 17th May last, to which I have nothing to add.