§ Mr. JOHN ROCHEasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the Congested Districts Board have yet made an offer to Lord Clanricarde for the purchase of his estate in the West of Ireland?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Congested Districts Board inform me that the valuation of Lord Clanricarde's estate has been completed, and an offer which is now in course of preparation will be made shortly.
§ Mr. LUNDONasked what amount of money was deducted from the rates of county Limerick for the half-year beginning 31st March last for defaulters under the Land Purchase Acts, and under what headings were the deductions made; if any, how much arrears, etc., have since been recovered; and whether the same has been placed to the credit of the local authority?
§ Mr. BIRRELLNo deduction has been made from grants payable out of the Local Taxation (Ireland) Account to the council of county Limerick since the 31st of March last in respect of land purchase liability in the county.
§ Mr. BOLANDasked whether the Congested Districts Board has taken any further steps to complete the purchase of the Fuller estate, near Caherciveen; whether regard will be had to the case of Mangan, who has been evicted from his holding; and whether, in view of the urgency of the matter, efforts will be made to expedite the sale?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe estate referred to has not been offered for sale to the Congested Districts Board. It has been inspected by one of the Board's officers, and they are willing to give their consent to a direct sale if they are satisfied that the prices agreed to between the landlord and tenant axe reasonable. It is not an estate in respect of which the Board would at present exercise their compulsory powers of purchase. The Board cannot say what action would be taken with regard to the evicted tenant referred to in the event of their purchasing the property.
§ Mr. GUINEYasked what is the cause of delay in the Estates Commissioners acquiring that portion of the Reps Curran estate, formerly Geo. L. O'Keefe, situate at Scarteen Lower, Hospital Row Street, Church Street, and Main Street, in the town of Newmarket, county Cork, seeing that the property has been offered to the Commissioners for voluntary acquirement, and that an inspector from the Commissioners inspected the place; have the Commissioners received his report; and, if so, does it state that there is a quantity of land in the owner's occupation which could be advantageously divided amongst the householders on the property?
§ Mr. BIRRELLAs I have already informed the hon. Member, proceedings were instituted for the sale to the Estates Commissioners of sixty-eight acres of land situated on the townlands of Scarteen Lower and Newmarket, county Cork, the property of the trustees of G. Curran. After due inquiry the Commissioners decided to make no offer for the lands. The reports of the inspectors are furnished for the confidential information of the Commissioners.
§ Mr. DUFFYasked whether the Congested Districts Board have entered into negotiations with Mrs. Ami Johnson, Newtown, Moate, for the purchase of her estate situate in the electoral division of Killovan, Ballinasloe, and known as the Corbally Logan farm; and with what result?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Congested Districts Board inform me that Mrs. Johnson is willing to sell the lands referred to, and they have asked the agent to furnish particulars, but up to the present these have not been received.
§ Mr. DUFFYasked whether the estate of Lord Clonbrock, known as the Quans-boro' estate, Mulla, Loughrea, has been purchased by the Estates Commissioners; was the farm of Abbey Gormican, in the same district and on the same estate, offered for sale; and when the Commissioners will be able to deal with this estate?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThis estate, which is the subject of proceedings for sale to the Estates Commissioners under the Land Purchase Acts, includes some ninety-three acres of tenanted land situated on the townland of Abbey Gormican. The estate will be dealt with in order of priority, but the Commissioners are not in a position at present to say when it will be reached.
§ Mr. DORISasked whether the Marquess of Sligo has yet lodged with the Congested Districts Board maps and other necessary papers with a view to a voluntary sale of his estate in West Mayo, or whether the Board has received any intimation from Lord Sligo as to when the papers will be lodged?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Congested Districts Board inform me that the Marquess of Sligo lodged maps and rentals for a detached part but not for the main portion of his estate. The maps and rentals that 38 were lodged were returned with a request that maps and rentals might be forwarded for the entire estate at the same time. The Board have reason to expect that maps for the tenanted portion of the estate will be lodged by 1st January, and for the remainder by 1st February next.
§ Mr. W. O'BRIENIs it not a fact that the Marquess of Sligo offered his estate for sale twelve years ago, and that the whole operations could have been completed long since, only the Congested Districts Board refused to purchase at eighteen years' purchase?
§ Mr. BIRRELLIt may be the Congested Districts Board at that time had no funds with which to complete the purchase.