§ Mr. WILLIAM ABRAHAM (for Mr. Crean)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether, seeing that under Section 31 of The Land Law (Ireland) Act, 1881, present tenants were entitled to obtain loans for improvements amounting to five times the valuation of the lands charged; that, by a subsequent Order, tenants whose valuation was but £7 were enabled to obtain the minimum under the Act of £50; that, by a recent Order of the Treasury, the borrowing powers had been reduced to three times the valuation, except where vesting Orders had been obtained; and that the result of this would be that all tenants under £12 valuation, except those who had secured vesting Orders, would be deprived of the rights they had under the original Act; and, if so, in view of the fact that the Dairies and Cowshed Orders were now being put into force by the Local Government Board, he would restore their rights under the old Act to enable them to meet the new expenses put upon them?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEOccupiers are not entitled under Section 31 of the Land Law (Ireland) Act, 1881, to obtain advances, and there can therefore be no question of restoring rights. Since these never, existed all that the section does is to give the Treasury power to authorise the Board of Works to make advances when satisfied as to the security. No amount is specified. Since 1893 the limit has been three times the judicial rent with a minimum amount of £35. To obtain that amount therefore an occupier must have a valuation not less than £11 13s. 4d. The date of the Dairies and Cowsheds Order is 13th February, 1908, and so far there has been nothing to show that anyone has been prevented from complying with it by the limitation as to loans.