§ 73. Mr. BOLANDasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether, in view of the statement made by the Estates Commissioners that they have no knowledge of the promises made as to turbary when the Rowland-Blennerhassett tenants purchased their holdings under the Ashbourne Act, and have no power to interfere, he will institute inquiries in the offices of the Land Commission, or of such other department as was in control of land purchase operations at that period, with a view to securing to the tenants the carrying out of the promises then made by the landlord's representative?
§ The CHIEF SECRETARY for IRELAND (Mr. Birrell)The sales to the tenants of the late Sir Rowland Blennerhassett referred to in the question were carried out under the Purchase of Land (Ireland) Act; 1885, by means of conveyances by the vendor to the tenants, and not by Vesting Order of the Land Commission. There is no reference to turbary in these conveyances, nor in the agreements to purchase signed by the tenants upon which the conveyances were based. The Commissioners have no evidence of the existence of any undertaking of the vendor's representative as to securing a supply of turbary for these tenants, and they have no power to intervene for the purpose of securing for the purchasers the rights of turbary which they now claim.
§ Mr. BOLANDIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that at the present moment the Estates Commissioners have in their hands the turbary of this estate, and, in the circumstances, will he make further inquiries to see if as a matter of fact the vendor's representative did make these promises?
§ Mr. BIRRELLOf course, if the Estates Commissioners have the turbary in their hands, I will ask them to look into the question, but obviously it is too late to correct these conveyances.
§ 75. Mr. DELANYasked whether in the sale of the Warburton estate, Garryhinch, situated in the King's and Queen's Counties, and carried out between the tenants and the Land Judge, it was agreed that the untenanted land known as the Pullock meadows should be divided up amongst the small holders on the estate; whether the receiver, Mr. Mathew Franks, still retains those lands on his hands and has advertised the meadows for sale on the 15th instant; who receives the money for those meadows; and whether the Estates Commissioners approve of the whole transaction?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners understand that when the sale of this estate was being negotiated it was arranged that the Pullough meadows were to be sold to them for the purposes of distribution. The question of the acquisition and distribution of these lands by the Commissioners will be considered by them when they are dealing with this estate. Until the lands have been acquired by the Commissioners it is the duty of the Receiver to continue his arrangements for the user thereof.
§ 76. Mr. BOLANDasked whether the landlords who have sold their property in the Mastergeehy district have also sold the sporting rights; and whether the Congested Districts Board will negotiate with Sir Morgan O'Connell with a view to having his property, inclusive of the sporting rights, sold to the tenants?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Congested Districts Board do not keep their records of estates by districts, and cannot therefore give the information asked for in the first part of the question. The Board have decided that they will not make an offer for the estate referred to unless the tenants agree that the sporting rights will be reserved to the Board or to the vendor.