§ Mr. MITCHELL-THOMSONasked the Chief Secretary if land belonging to Mr. H. Dawson, of Ballynichal, Comber, county Down, was in 1908 taken by arbitration for the purposes of the Labourers (Ireland) Acts and £56 awarded to him; if the lands were subject to a purchase annuity of £15 12s. payable to the Land Commission; if the Newtownards Rural Council, the promoters of the scheme, paid £36 to Mr. Dawson in January, 1909 and £20 to the Land Commission in reduction of an apportioned part of the said annuity; will he say why no corresponding reduction by the Land Commission has been made in Mr. Dawson's purchase annuity; and if he will take steps to see that this is done forthwith?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe facts of this case appear to be correctly stated in the question, save that the amount payable to the Land Commission was not received by them until the end of September last. Owing to the very large number of similar payments which had then been received it was not found practicable to make the necessary calculations with respect to the reduction of the annuity before the ensuing gale day which fell on 1st November. The payment has, however, since been applied in reduction of the annuity, and the half-yearly instalment is reduced by 9s. 3d. as from 1st May last.