HC Deb 22 February 1911 vol 21 cc1909-10
Mr. O'SHEE

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that several public bodies in the county Waterford have recently passed resolutions renewing their protest with regard to the delay in acquiring the Nugent Humble Ranch for the benefit of the evicted tenants, and against granting public money to enable Mr. Charles Nugent Humble to purchase evicted farms from his brother under the Irish Land Act of 1903; from what public bodies have such resolutions recently been received by the Estates Commissioners; and whether they have yet dealt with the applications of Mr. Charles Nugent Humble for the advances applied for, having regard to the advances previously obtained by him and to his tenure of the evicted farms?

Mr. BIRRELL

The Estates Commissioners have recently received resolutions from the Waterford County Council and the Dungarvan Urban Council. The Commissioners have considered the application for the advance of £2,667 for the purchase by Mr. Charles Nugent Humble of four holdings on the estate of Sir John N. Humble. Mr. C. N. Humble, having already obtained advances amounting to £2,823 under the Land Purchase Acts, the Commissioners have informed the solicitors having carriage of the sale that they are not prepared to advance more than £177 in respect of these four holdings, making the total advances to Mr. Humble under the Land Purchase Acts £3,000. A I have already informed the hon. Member the Commissioners instituted proceedings for the compulsory acquisition under the Evicted Tenants Act, 1907, of certain lands held by Mr. C. N. Humble, but the owner appealed and the High Court decided that the Commissioners could not acquire these lands compulsorily. In these circumstances the Commissioners cannot take any further action with a view to the compulsory acquisition, under the Evicted Tenants Act, of the lands affected by the decision of the High Court.

Mr. O'SHEE

Is it not a fact that the ground of the decision of the High Court was that the Commissioners only proposed to take portion of the land of Mr. Humble, and will the Commissioners now, having regard to the decision of the court, propose to acquire the whole of the land?

Mr. BIRRELL

I will put that before the Commissioners.