HC Deb 01 April 1912 vol 36 cc875-8
Mr. REDDY

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland upon what terms the Lauder estate, in Clonfanlough, in King's County, was purchased from Judge Ross; were the agreements signed, if so, before whom; to whom were the annuities paid; was the estate inspected; were the evicted tenants reinstated, or what was the condition of the estate at the present time; and how did the sale stand?

The CHIEF SECRETARY for IRELAND (Mr. Birrell)

The Estates Commissiners purchased the estate of William Lauder, King's County, from the Land Judge under Section 7 of the Irish Land Act, 1903, at a price fixed after inspection. The tenants, including two former evicted tenants who were in occupation of holdings on the estate as yearly tenants at the time of sale, have signed undertakings to purchase at the prices fixed by the Commissioners, and such undertakings have been lodged with them by the solicitors having carriage of sale. The lands will be vested in the purchasing tenants as soon as a question of turbary has been settled, when the purchase annuities will commence to run. Meanwhile interest in lieu of rent is payable to the Land Commission in accordance with the terms of the undertakings signed by the tenants.

Mr. PATRICK WHITE

asked whether the Estates Commissioners could state approximately when the vesting orders would be issued to the purchasing tenants on the Wade estate, Clonabraney, county Meath?

Mr. BIRRELL

This estate is on the principal register of direct sales (all cash), and the Estates Commissioners are not at present in a position to say when it will be reached in order of priority to be dealt with.

Mr. P. WHITE

asked whether the un-tenantcd lands of Footstown, Ardee, county Meath, had been acquired by the Estates Commissioners; and, if not, how far the negotiations had proceeded?

Mr. BIRRELL

The owner has accepted the formal proposal of the Estates Commissioners for the purchase of some 265 acres of the lands of Footstown Great, county Meath, and the estate will be dealt with in due course.

Mr. P. WHITE

asked whether an inspector from the Estates Commissioners recently visited that portion of the Nicholson estate situate at Horath, county Meath; if he interviewed Mr. Farrell, the applicant, for an advance; and whether any, and, if so, what steps have been taken to ascertain the present age of the applicant and his age at the time he received an assignment of the land from his father?

Mr. BIRRELL

The Estates Commissioners are inquiring into this matter, and they are not prepared to make any statement in the matter until their inquiries are complete.

Mr. P. WHITE

asked the Chief Secretary if any negotiations had recently taken place between the Estates Commissioners and Dr. Kelly Paterson with regard to the purchase of the lands of Mullaha, county Meath, and with what result; whether he was aware that, a feeling of unrest and dissatisfaction prevailed in the district owing to a rumour that a private purchaser, named Roundtree, was trying to acquire the lands; and whether, having regard to the fact that this was the only farm available in this district for purchase and distribution among the numerous uneconomic holdings in the immediate locality, they would again approach the owner?

Mr. BIRRELL

The Estates Commissioners had a preliminary inspection made of the lands, and communicated to the owner their estimate of the price which they would be prepared to advance for the purchase of them if formal proceedings for their sale to the Commissioners were instituted by the owner. The owner has not instituted such proceedings, and the Commissioners have no information as to the proposed sale to a private purchaser referred to by the hon. Member.

Mr. PATRICK MEEHAN

asked the Chief Secretary (1) whether he was aware that there was in the parish of Graigue and Killishin, barony of Slievemargy, Queen's County, 228 holdings, exclusive of labourers' cottage plots under £7 valuation; that adjoining this congested area there were large grazing ranches, two of which, one consisting of 1,173 acres in the occupation of Mr. Robert M'Mahon and one of about 400 acres in the occupation of Mr. Murphy, were offered to the Estates Commissioners about two years ago, when there was a disagreement about the price; and whether the Estates Commissioners would reconsider the matter with a view of increasing the price and acquiring the land for distribution; and (2) whether he was aware that one of the grazing ranches in the parish of Graigue and Killishin, offered for sale to the Estates Commissioners, had been for many years and was at present let by auction for eleven months' grazing; that eight of the persons who took this land were already in occupation as tenants in the counties of Kildare, Carlow, and Queen's of 3,500 acres, an average of just 438 acres each, and that these graziers were trying to defeat the lands being acquired for distribution; whether the M'Mahon and Murphy estates offered to the Estates Commissioners were held under fee farm grant; and, whether, in view of Section 67 of the Irish Land Act, 1909, he would direct the Estates Commissioners to acquire these lands or such portion of them as had been offered by the owners under the section quoted?

Mr. BIRRELL

The Estates Commissioners are not aware of the number of holdings under £7 valuation in the districts referred to. An inspection was made of 125 acres of untenanted land on the estate of J. M. Murphy, held under a Fee Farm Grant, and they communicated to the owner their estimate of the price which they were prepared to advance for the purchase of the fee simple of these lands. The owner is not willing to sell at this price. Some 540 acres of land of Coolrain and Cappalug are in the occupation of Mr. McMahon, as judicial tenant, and the price which the Commissioners are prepared to advance for the lands if sold to them free and discharged from the tenancy will not be accepted. The Commissioners are not prepared to increase their offers in either case. Mr. McMahon holds other lands in the district under Fee Farm Grant, and has signed an agreement for their purchase. When this estate is reached in order of priority the question of making the advance applied for will be considered by the Commissioners. They have no information as to the present user of these lands. The Section of the Act of 1909 referred to by the hon. Member applies only in the case of land proposed to be acquired for the purposes of the Evicted Tenants Acts.