§ 11. Mr. BOLANDasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that the Stoughton estate, near Waterville, is about to be vested; and whether the Congested Districts Board will open negotiations with the owner with a view to enabling Andrew O'Connell to purchase his holding at Glenbeg, of which he is sole tenant; and whether steps will also be taken to secure that when improvements are effected the provision of a new road to this townland will be favourably considered?
§ 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 Andrew Connell for the purchase of his holding at Glenbeg has been lodged with the Estates Commissioners. The Commissioners do not propose to make any road such as that referred to in the latter part of the question.
§ 16. Mr. DORISasked the Chief Secretary whether the trustees of the Achill Mission estate, county Mayo, have lodged with the Congested Districts Board maps and other necessary papers with a view to a sale of the estate through the Board, or have the trustees informed the Board that they are willing to sell the entire estate; and when the Board expect to receive the maps and papers?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe maps and necessary documents have been lodged with the Congested Districts Board, but as they are not complete the Board are in communication with the solicitor to the trustees on the subject. The trustees have not informed the Board that they are willing to sell the entire estate.
§ 18. Sir J. LONSDALEasked the Chief Secretary if he is aware that, although the tenants on the Beers estate, in Bally shielmore, county Armagh, signed agreements to purchase their holdings under the Land Act of 1903 on the 26th April, 1906, the advance of the purchase money was not made until the 22nd May, 1913; if the tenants have been served with notice to pay one month's additional interest, 1410 which is included in the demand made upon them for the period to the 1st July; if agreements on this estate were on exactly similar terms to those on the Gosford estate, adjoining; if the tenants on the latter estate were called upon to pay an additional month's interest; if he is aware that the tenants on the Beers estate regard this demand as a violation of their agreements; and if, having regard to the delay in completing the purchase, the Land Commission is entitled to insist upon this payment?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe reply to the first and second paragraphs of the question is in the affirmative. The month's interest referred to is payable under Section 9 of The Irish Land Act, 1909, by every person to whom an advance is made after the passing of that Act, and the Land Commission have no power to remit this payment. The tenants on Lord Gosford's estates to whom advances were made after the passing of the 1909 Act were also called upon to pay a month's interest.