§ 3. Mr. DELANYasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether application has been made by a large farmer named M'Dowell for portion of the lands of Bordwell, Owens estate, Queen's County, which the Estates Commissioners are about to acquire; and, in view of the fact that there are a number of uneconomic holdings in the locality which require enlargement, will he see that M'Dowell's request is not ceded?
§ The CHIEF SECRETARY for IRELAND (Mr. Birrell)The Estates Commissioners cannot trace the receipt of any application from M'Dowell for an allotment of the lands referred to in the event of their being acquired by them.
§ 4. Mr. DELANYasked the Chief Secretary whether the Estates Commissioners have received a memorial, signed by the uneconomic holders in the district, requesting them to get into negotiation with the owners of Gurteenahilla farm, Cullohill, Queen's County, with a view to purchasing the same for distribution 506 amongst the small holders in the locality; whether he is aware that this a grazing ranch consisting of 275 Irish acres, held by the eleven months, and surrounded by a number of small uneconomic holdings which on an average are of less than £7 valuation; and can he say what action the Estates Commissioners are going to take in this matter?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners are unable from the particulars given to trace the receipt of the memorial referred to, and they cannot identify these lands as the subject of proceedings for sale to them under the Land Purchase Acts.
§ 5. Mr. KILBRIDEasked when the Estates Commissioners will take steps to acquire the untenanted land at Lullymore, Rathangan, county Kildare, seeing that their inspector has reported on the miserable condition of the uneconomic holders in the district a considerable time since?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to his question on this subject on the 17th instant, to which I have nothing to add at present.
§ Mr. KILBRIDEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that so far as these uneconomic holdings are concerned no Land Acts might as well have been passed, as they have never got any relief? When are they likely to get any relief from the legislation intended for their benefit?
§ Mr. BIRRELLIt is not correct to say that no relief has been received from the distribution of untenanted land. The inspector's report is awaiting confirmation by the Estates Commissioners.
§ Mr. KILBRIDEHow long will that report have to await confirmation? It has already waited two months.
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe hon. Member knows that the Estates Commissioners' office is very full of work. I will represent to them how very important it is that this particular matter should be attended to.
§ 17. Mr. FRANCIS MEEHANasked whether the Chief Secretary is aware that the tenants on the Flood estate, Glencar, county Leitrim, petitioned the Congested Districts Board to purchase that small estate; and whether, having regard to the fact that the estate adjoins the White estate with which the Board is now dealing and on which there is an unlimited 507 supply of turbary, the Board will take steps to acquire the estate and distribute the turbary lands?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Congested Districts Board received a memorial from the tenants on the estate referred to. The owner does not intend to sell the property at present, and the Board do not propose to take steps to acquire the estate compulsorily.
§ 19. Mr. DELANYasked whether an inspector has been down on the Sandes estate, Kilcavan and Garrymore, Queen's County, and that a demand was made in his presence of Margaret Mara and Richard Meagles for payment of £9 and £5, respectively, for permission to purchase their holdings as sub-tenants on the estate; can the Chief Secretary say by whom and upon what authority this demand was made; who the inspector was; whether he has made a report to the Estates Commissioners; and, if so, what course they propose to adopt in this matter?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners are not aware of any demands having been made on these two people for payment of the sums referred to, but they understand that in the presence of the inspector and the agent, Meagles agreed to pay the direct tenant of the holding £5 in respect of the latter's intervening interest in the land in the occupation of Meagles as sub-tenant. The inspector's report on the estate has been received and the Commissioners will consider whether they can deem the sub-tenants to be direct tenants for the purposes of sale, and, if so, what sum should be paid in respect of the intervening interests if no agreement is arrived at in the interval.