§ Mr. KILBRIDEasked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that the tenants on Major Carroll's estate, Moone Abbey, Moone, county Kildare, signed agreements for the purchase of their holdings nearly six years ago; and will he say what is the cause of delay in completion of the purchase, and when may the tenants hope to have their holdings vested in them?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThis estate, which is the subject of proceedings for sale direct by the owner to the tenants, is on the principal register of direct sales (all cash), and 579 has not yet been reached in order of priority to be dealt with. The Estates Commissioners are not at present in a position to say when it will be reached.
§ Mr. O'SHAUGHNESSYasked what steps, if any, the Estates Commissioners had taken to acquire the untenanted lands of Ballylin and Glenville, in the county of Limerick, on the Massy estate, with the view to having them apportioned to deserving applicants in the district, which is practically a congested one?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners have had a preliminary inspection made of the lands, and have communicated to the owner's solicitors their estimate of the price they would advance if formal proceedings for sale are instituted under the Land Purchase Acts. Proceedings for sale have not been instituted up to the present by the owner.
§ Mr. O'SHAUGHNESSYasked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that unless the Estates Commissioners reinstate the evicted tenants on the estate of William Lane Joynt at Aughanish, in the county of Limerick, without further delay the lands will be of little use to them for this year; and would he say why it is that the Estates Commissioners will not sanction the agreement for the purchase of their holdings by the tenants on the estate with the landlord on condition that the evicted tenants should be reinstated at a price which they are satisfied to pay?
§ Mr. BIRRELLAs already stated in reply to previous questions, the Estates Commissioners are not prepared to purchase this estate until their requirements as to the repair and future maintenance of the embankments have been complied with.
§ Mr. O'SHAUGHNESSYWhy is it that the Estates Commissioners will not carry out the agreement entered into between the landlord and the tenant?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners have a responsibility in the matter. They cannot put people into holdings when they are not properly protected against flooding and damage. They considered before they took that step that they ought to know that proper provision is being made in the future to guard against that very possible contingency.
§ Mr. O'SHAUGHNESSYIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is only a question of £300 between them, and having regard to the smallness of the sum will he press on the Commissioners to carry out the sale in order to reinstate the evicted tenants at once?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI am very glad to hear it is only a question of £300, but after all £300 is a considerable sum. If it is sufficient to purchase the estate I hope arrangements may be made to obtain it.
§ Mr. O'SHAUGHNESSYasked why it is that the Estates Commissioners have not acceded to the request of the tenants on the estate of O'Grady Delmege, at Glensharrold, in the county of Limerick, which was contained in a petition to them to send down an inspector to inquire as to whether, owing to its low valuation and the poor quality of the land, which is in a great part cut-away bog land, the estate may not be declared a congested one within the meaning of the Land Purchase Acts; and whether they intend to take any steps to have such inquiries made with a view to a sale to the tenants under the Land Purchase Act, 1909?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThis property is not the subject of proceedings for sale before the Estates Commissioners under the Land Purchase Acts, and the Estates Commissioners cannot see their way to send down to this property one of their staff of inspectors, who are fully occupied at present in connection with other estates.
§ Mr. O'SHAUGHNESSYHave the Estates Commissioners received a petition from the tenants asking to have the estate declared a congested one? Have they not power, under the Land Act, to inquire whether the estate is a congested one, so that the compulsory powers of the Land Act may be put into operation?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI will refer that to these gentlemen.
§ Mr. O'DOWDasked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that the Branchfield grazing farm, on the Harlech estate, nominally owned by Mr. Philip M'Kim, and situate near Tubbercurry, county Sligo, is now about to be vested with the Estates Commissioners; whether he is aware that there-are a number of small cottiers residing on this M'Kim farm, which comprises almost the entire townland of Carrowncreevy, who are now threatened with writs by the 581 nominal owner; and, if so, whether, before the Harlech estate becomes vested, the claims of these cottiers for the enlargement of their holdings will be investigated by the Estates Commissioners or the Congested Districts Board.
§ Mr. BIRRELLThis estate is the subject of proceedings for sale direct by the owner to the tenants under the Irish Land Act, 1903, and an agreement signed by Philip J. M'Kim for the purchase of his holding on the estate has been lodged with the Estates Commissioners. When the estate is being dealt with in order of priority the matter referred to by the hon. Member will be considered by the Commissioners.
§ Sir JOHN LONSDALEasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, in view of the delay which must necessarily take place in the acquisition of estates by the Congested Districts Board in Ireland, and of some instances of intimidation and strikes against payment of rent during such delay, he will make it known that such courses will retard rather than accelerate the progress of the Board, and that dealings with such estates will be postponed until a more satisfactory atmosphere prevails in which to adjust the rights of the landlords and the tenants?
§ Mr. BIRRELLOwing to the very large number of estates already offered, and now being offered to the Congested Districts Board, and to the fact that the Board is not an ordinary purchasing body, but has special duties with regard to the estates which it purchases, very considerable delay must necessarily arise, and patience must be exercised by both parties in these most desirable transactions. With reference to the latter part of the question, the agreed policy of the Board is to take estates in the order of priority in which they have been offered for sale in each county, except where illegal combinations against the payment of rent or otherwise are found to exist.
§ Mr. PATRICK WHITEasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the Estates Commissioners gave a building grant to each of the three tenants who got allotments on the M'Cann estate, Bigstown, county Meath; if so, was it expended, and, if still unexpended, will they compel the recipients to appropriate the money for the purpose for which it was intended; and whether he has any official information showing that the tenants intend 582 offering their holdings for sale as soon as the conditions upon which they received them permit, and that, if sold without residences, they will be reconverted into a ranch in opposition to the policy of the Land Acts?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe hon. Member apparently refers to the estate of T. S. McCann and others, county Meath, which was the subject of proceedings for sale direct by the owners to the tenants under the Irish Land Act, 1903. Five persons claiming reinstatement as evicted tenants were given parcels of land on this estate, and Grants for buildings were made to two of them. The Grants have been expended and the parcels vested in the tenants, and the Estates Commissioners have no information as to the statements in the latter part of the question.
§ Mr. O'SHAUGHNESSYasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he can say why the Estates Commissioners did not give a portion of the untenanted lands at Morgans, Borrigone, in the county of Limerick, on the Sandes estate, when dividing them recently, to Michael Fitzgerald, a labourer, with a house and an acre of land, living on the estate for generations, having regard to the fact that it is their usual practice, when dividing such lands, to make provision for small holders and labourers on the estate?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners allotted the untenanted land on this estate to the persons who they considered were most suitable, and it was not possible for them to comply with all the applications which they received.
§ Mr. O'SHAUGHNESSYMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman why it is that they departed from the practice usually adopted, and did not give a portion of land to this poor man, whose family had been living on the estate for generations, and who therefore ought to have got the preference?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI am quite sure that the Estates Commissioners would not differentiate against any aged gentleman.
§ Mr. O'SHAUGHNESSYMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman if he will put this man's case before the Commissioners again, so that he may get a portion of this land?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI cannot say that the Estates Commissioners will do what the 583 hon. Member asks, but I will call their attention to the special circumstances of this case.
§ Mr. O'SHAUGHNESSYasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he can say why the Estates Commissioners' inspector, when dividing the Sandes estate, at Morgans, Borrigone, in the county of Limerick, recently, did not give back to Mrs. Patrick Kenny that portion of her farm from which she was evicted some years ago, containing about ten acres Irish plantation measure; and whether, having regard to the fact that local public opinion is strongly in her favour, she having been recommended for this farm by the Robertstown branch of the United Irish League and the West Limerick executive of the League, the Estates Commissioners will reconsider their decision and act in her case in a similar way to that of other evicted tenants' cases which they have dealt with?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners cannot find that they received any application from Mrs. Kenny as an evicted tenant. They understand that she was not evicted, but surrendered half the holding formerly occupied by her on condition that she was allowed to retain the other half. She and her husband hold lands of the valuation of £17 10s., and the Commissioners decided not to make any further allotment.
§ Mr. O'SHAUGHNESSYMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he is aware of the fact that I myself strongly recommended this woman to the Estates Commissioners for this very farm from which she was evicted, and whether he can state why it is that the Commissioners cast her over?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI gave the reason.
§ Mr. O'SHAUGHNESSYIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that this woman is the second wife of Patrick Kenny, who has his own farm, and that he intends to give it to his son by his first wife] May I ask also whether the right hon. Gentleman is aware that Kenny's plot of land has nothing whatever to do with the farm from which his wife was evicted. Is he further aware—
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member ought to give notice of these intricate questions.
§ Mr. O'SHAUGHNESSYWill the right hon. Gentleman put this woman's case before the Estates Commissioners, as really there is tremendous dissatisfaction in the district because of the fact that the Commissioners have not reinstated her in the farm?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member is now making an appeal and not asking a question.