§ Mr. MALCOLMasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he will grant a Return showing in how many cases, under the Irish Land Acts, 1903 and 1909, proceedings have been threatened, commenced, or executed against proprietors for non-payment of instalments due in 1904 and succeeding years; and stating in how many cases the instalments have been recovered or remitted by the Estates Commissioners?
§ Mr. RUSSELLIt would be quite impossible to give the Return asked for. It may be sufficient for the hon. Member's purpose to know that the collection of annuities under the Acts of 1903–9 is well maintained. The schedules of cases recently referred to the solicitors of the Land Commission for proceedings in respect of arrears due at lat June last contained 3,700 cases out of a total of 115,000 payers, or but little over 3 per cent. In the great majority of these cases payment is made either before processes are issued or before the proceedings go into court, and in the remaining cases the arrear is almost invariably recovered sooner or later. The Land Commission have no power to remit annuities payable under the Act of 1903. Up to the present there have been only three cases under that Act in which arrears of annuities, amounting in all to £97 10s., have finally proved to be irrecoverable.