§ 62. Mr. BOLANDasked the Chief Secretary whether the Congested Districts Board has recently approached the land lord of the Myles O'Mahoney estate, near Beaufort with a view to its purchase; and, if not, whether negotiations will now be reopened?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to his question on this subject on the]7th October, to which I have nothing to add. Mr. Myles O'Mahoney is only a trustee for the owners of the Sugrue estate.
§ 64. Mr. HAYDENasked whether the farm of Leabeg, with turbary attached to same, is included in the proposed sale to the Congested Districts Board of the estate of Sir N. R. O'Conor, Dundermott, Ballymore, county Roscommon; and, if not, whether the attention of the Con- 32 gested Districts Board will be called to the necessity of including it,in view of the amount of turbary, and to the fact that there are two tenants upon it whose valuations are, respectively, 10s. and 15s. per annum?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe town land referred to has not been offered for sale to the Congested Districts Board. The owners have been asked to sell a portion of the town land, and negotiations are pending in the matter.
§ 70. Mr. HAYDENasked whether the Congested Districts Board has received a memorial from the tenants on the estate of Mr. C. M. O'Conor, of Mount Druid, Bellanagare, county Roscommon, requesting the Board to exercise their powers for the purchase of this estate; and whether, in view of the fact that seventeen out of twenty-two tenants on this estate occupy holdings valued under £7, the Board will take all the necessary steps to have the estate purchased as soon as possible?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Congested Districts Board have received memorials asking them to purchase portion of this estate, and they are now in communication with the owner on the subject.
71. Mr. KELLYasked whether, seeing that the tenants of the Hayes estate, county Donegal, signed agreements to purchase their holdings at a reduction of 7s. in the £, to take effect immediately upon the completion of the agreement, he will explain why the Congested Districts Board are now collecting the old rents from the tenants up to the 4th January- next, as the tenants regarded the immediate reduction of their rents as one of the chief inducements to the sale?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe hon. Member appears to be under a misapprehension. One of the conditions of the undertakings signed by the tenants was to the effect that if the Congested Districts Board purchased the estate the tenants would, when required by the Board, purchase their holdings, if unaltered, at prices which would give them certain specified reductions on their present rents. The Board have purchased this estate, and have not yet decided what holdings require alterations, and the prices of those holdings cannot therefore be fixed. The Board are collecting the old rent from the tenants this year as provided for in the undertaking which the tenants signed. All tenants on estates 33 purchased by the Board are required to pay full rent during the first year's collection.
§ 72. Mr. J. P. FARRELLasked whether the right hon. Gentleman will explain why the holding of James Harrington, Garryandrew, Edgeworthstown, on the estate of Barry Fox, a minor, for which he signed an agreement to purchase on the same terms and at the same time as the other tenants, has not been vested in him; whether all the other tenants have now got their vesting orders; and will he cause an inquiry to be made into the case with a view to the immediate vesting of this man's holding in him?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThis estate is the subject of proceedings for sale direct by the owner to the tenants. The majority of the purchase agreements were lodged in October, 1908, but the agreement signed by James Harrington was not lodged until December, 1910. The proceedings for sale were instituted by the trustees for the owner who was a minor at the time. He came of age before Harrington's agreement was lodged, and the agreement was signed by him as owner. The vesting of Harrington's holding will be carried out as soon as the necessary legal steps continuing the proceedings for sale in the name of the present owner have been completed.
§ Mr. FARRELLAm I to understand that this tenant is not being excluded?
§ Mr. BIRRELLNo, he is not being excluded. The delay is owing to the fact that the owner of the estate became of age between the time the estate first became the subject matter of a sale and this particular tenant coming to an agreement.
§ 73. Mr. DORISasked if the right hon. Gentleman can give a Return of the estates, if any, which have been purchased since the passing of the Land Act of 1909, under the provisions of Section 60 of that Act; and can he state why this Section has been ignored in numerous cases in which landlords refused to sell their estates through the Board or in which agreements as to price, etc., were not arrived at?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Congested Districts Board have not acquired any estates compulsorily. Final offers under the provisions of Section 60 of the Irish Land Act of 1909 have been made by the Board in twenty-two cases, of which ten have been accepted by the owners and the remaining cases are still pending.
§ Mr. KILBRIDEHave the Estates Commissioners acquired any estates there compulsorily?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI think they have started proceedings for doing so.
§ 76. Mr. KENNEDYasked whether the occupying tenant in John Reilly's farm, Crenagh, Killeshandra, has agreed to let Reilly back on being provided with a farm elsewhere; when did the tenant communicate his willingness to take another farm to the Estates Commissioners; and will he have this case specially looked into?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners were in negotiation with the present occupier of Reilly's former holding, but could not agree to his terms. Reilly refused to take a holding elsewhere, and the Commissioners decided to take no further action in the matter of his application.
§ Mr. KENNEDYWill the right hon. Gentleman answer that part of my question which asks whether the occupying tenant has agreed to let Reilly back, and when did the tenant communicate his willingness to take another farm?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI will communicate with the Estates Commissioners and inquire for the date asked for.
§ 80. Mr. J. P. FARRELLasked what further progress, if any, has been made to wards the acquirement of the untenanted lands of Clonfin, North Longford, on the John E. Thompson estate; whether he is aware that a year ago it was promised that this estate would be dealt with early in 1912; what is the cause of the delay; and when a definite order will be made?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThis estate was the subject of proceedings for sale direct by the owner to the tenants under the Irish Land Act, 1903, but the Estates Commissioners asked the owner to sell certain town lands, including Clonfin, to them instead of direct to the tenants, in order that the Commissioners might be able to carry out a scheme of rearrangement in these town lands. The owner consented, and the lands will be dealt with as soon as practicable in order of priority.
§ 81. Mr. LUNDONasked what amounts of money have been advanced to the tenant farmers of the county Limerick under the various Land Acts; and what was the average number of years' purchase paid under each Act?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI would refer the hon. Member to the Annual Reports of the Land Commission and the Estates Commissioners for the information he requires.
§ 83. Mr. LUNDONasked whether any purchase agreement was ever signed by Mr. Borland, of Anglesborough, county Limerick, who has been in possession of evicted land on the Massy property for a period of twenty-five years'?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to his question on this subject on the 6th May last, to which I have nothing to add.
§ 84. Mr. LUNDONasked the cause of the delay in issuing vesting orders in the Brayrors estate, Tankardstown, North Kilmallock, county Limerick, Number B369 4; when were agreements for purchase lodged; and will the purchase money be advanced before the 1st of April next?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThis estate is the subject of proceedings for sale direct by the owner to the tenants under the Irish Land Act, 1903, agreements signed by the tenants for the purchase of their holdings having been lodged with the Estates Commissioners in October, 1907. It will be dealt with in order of priority on the Principal Register of Direct Sales (All Cash), but, having regard to the claims of other estates, the Commissioners are not at present in a position to say when it will be reached.
§ 86. Mr. DORISasked whether all game rights have been transferred to the occupiers of the Crimlin section of the late Lucan estate, county Mayo, purchased through the Congested Districts Board; and what are the present game rights, if any, of the occupiers?
§ Mr. BIRRELLAll game rights on the section of the estate referred to have been reserved to the Congested Districts Board on resale of the holdings to the tenants.