§ Mr. JOHN MURPHYasked the Chief Secretary in regard to the case of the tenants on the Golby estate, at Ballinahulla, county Kerry, who have been made to pay 3½ per cent. on their purchase money for a period of 18 months, while during the same period the Land Commission were paying only 3 per cent. for this money, would the Chief Secretary, considering that there was no untenanted land on this property and no payment of rates and taxes to be made, and that the tenants expedited the work of the land inspector in every way in their power, direct the Land Commission, when sending their next receivable order, to deduct from the half-yearly payment the overcharge which has been made on these tenants; and will the Chief Secretary give a detailed statement of the special expenses incurred by the Land Commission in regard to this property which rendered this overcharge of the ordinary payment made by the tenants necessary?
§ Mr. CHERRYThe Estates Commissioners inform me that the holdings on this estate were dealt with as soon as practicable. All but two have been vested in the tenants and those two will be vested at an early date. No special expenses were incurred in connection with this estate. Section 18 of the Irish Land Act, 1903, provides that the interest in lieu of rent payable in cases of this kind shall be at the rate of not less than 3½ per cent., and the tenants by their purchase agreements contracted to pay interest at 3½ per cent. There was, therefore, no overcharge and my right hon. Friend has no power to direct a refund of any part of the interest paid under the purchase agreements.
§ Mr. JOHN MURPHYMay I ask the right hon. and learned Gentleman whether the Estates Commissioners have in their pocket money which they have received and which they have had no occasion to use for other purposes, and, if so, will they give it back to the tenants in these and similar cases?
§ Mr. CHERRYI do not think the Estates Commissioners can have any money except the money they received under the contracts, and such moneys as are apportioned by Parliament for the purposes of the Land Acts.