§ Mr. BOLANDasked whether the documents in connection with the sale of the F. G. Williams estate, near Mastergeehy, have now been lodged with the Congested 1415 Districts Board; and can the Chief Secretary state when the estate will be inspected?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe maps and some of the documents in connection with the sale of this estate have been lodged with the Congested Districts Board, but were returned to the agent to enable him to supply further particulars necessary to enable a preliminary inspection of the property to be made. On receipt of the required information the estate will be inspected and a decision arrived at as soon as practicable.
§ Mr. GINNELLasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland the number of payers of interest in lieu of rent pending completion of purchase now on the books of the Irish Land Commission?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe number on the 30th November, 1911, was 139,026.
§ Mr. J. P. FARRELLasked when the estate of Mr. E. More O'Ferrall, D.L., in the townland of Derryneel, North Longford, will be vested in the tenants; and whether any further inspection will be made in the case before vesting?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners anticipate that this estate will be vested in the purchasing tenants during the present month. The reply to the last paragraph is in the negative.
§ Mr. FARRELLasked if the Chief Secretary will say when the estate of the Earl of Longford will be vested in the tenants; and whether, before vesting, the Estates Commissioners will hear an application from the town-park holders on the same estate to be included in the sale by an Amendment of the originating notice thereof?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners anticipate that this estate will be vested in the purchasing tenants during the present financial year. No proceedings for the sale of the town-park holdings referred to under the Land Purchase Acts are pending before the Commissioners. The terms of sale of these holdings is a matter for arrangement between the owner and the tenants, and if they do not agree as to terms of purchase, and lodge purchase agreements, the Commissioners cannot interfere in the matter.
§ Mr. FARRELLasked if the Chief Secretary will state the cause of the delay on 1416 the part of the Estates Commissioners in vesting the lands of Roose, county Longford, the landlord of which is Mr. Patrick M. O'Reilly, of Granard, in the tenants who signed their purchase agreements some five years ago; whether other estates purchased at the same time in the vicinity have been vested; and, if so, what is the reason for the delay in this case?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThis estate is being sold direct to the tenants by the owner under the Irish Land Act, 1903, and the purchase agreements were lodged in 1906. The estate is on the principal register of direct sales (all cash), and has not yet been reached in order of priority, and the Estates Commissioners are not at present in a position to say when it will be reached. It is quite possible that the vendors of the other estates referred to by the hon. Member agreed to take payment either partly or wholly in stock, and have, therefore, been paid at an earlier date.
§ Mr. FARRELLasked whether any reply has since been received by the Estates Commissioners from Mr. James W. Bond, D.L., in response to their request to him to lodge an originating notice for the sale of the lands of Coolcraff, county Longford?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners have communicated to the owner a preliminary estimate of the amount which they would be prepared to advance if the owner instituted formal proceedings for the sale of these lands to the Commissioners, and they are at present in communication with his solicitors on the subject.
§ Mr. JOHN PHILLIPSasked what stage are the negotiations in at present between the Estates Commissioners and Mr. C. E. Levinge, of Drolatstown, Mullingar, county Westmeath, for the sale of his property at Corteen, parish of Templemichael, barony of Ardagh, and county of Longford; and will the grass ranch on this property be acquired for the purpose of making the holdings on this property economic?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe hon. Member presumably refers to the estate of Mr. C. E. Levinge, county Longford, which comprises the townland of Cartonlebagh, and portion of another townland. The owner has instituted proceedings for the sale of this estate to the Estates Commissioners, but it has not yet been reached in order of priority to be dealt with.