§ 7. Mr. DANIEL BOYLEasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland what progress has been made by the Congested Districts Board with the purchase of the De Stack-poole estate, Moygownagh, county Mayo; and if the non-residential grazing lands on the estate are included in the property offered to the Board?
§ The CHIEF SECRETARY for IRELAND (Mr. Birrell)The Congested Districts Board are about to issue an offer for the purchase of this estate, but I am not yet in a position to reply to the latter part of the question.
§ 8. Mr. DANIEL BOYLEasked if the Congested Districts Board have yet made an offer for the estate of Mr. C. Guy Orme, Moygownagh, county Mayo, and with what result; if no offer has yet been made, when do the Board expect to make an offer; and if the non-residential grazing lands on this estate are included in the lands on offer to the Congested Districts Board?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Congested Districts Board made an offer for the purchase of the estate referred to, but it has not yet been accepted by the owner. The Board do not yet know the names of the tenants of the grazing lands referred to in the latter part of the question.
§ 9. Mr. DANIEL BOYLEasked on what date the Congested Districts Board made their offer for the estate of Colonel Ormsby, parish of Kilfian, county Mayo; and if any reply has yet been received from the owner?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Congested Districts Board issued an offer for purchase of this estate on the 15th October last, and they are still in negotiation with the owner.
§ 11. Mr. DANIEL BOYLEasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland what steps, if any, have been taken by the Congested Districts Board to purchase the estate of Mr. William Fetherstonhaugh, near Crossmolina, county Mayo; and is he aware that on this estate there are large tracts of grazing land, the result of former evictions, and a number of uneconomic holdings urgently needing enlargement on this and adjoining estates?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Congested Districts Board have communicated with the owner of this estate, but it has not so far been offered for sale through them. The Board were informed that there are extensive grazing lands on the property, but they have no other information regarding it.
§ 17. Mr. JOHN ROCHEasked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that the Estates Commissioners purchased the Clancarty estate, in the neighbourhood of Ballinasloe, about seven years ago, and that one of the grass farms upon the estate is still in the possession of a man named Cooke, one of the largest graziers in Ireland; whether he is aware that the tenants of the townlands of Tristane and Killurebeg are compelled to pay as high as £6 an acre to Cooke for conacre hay, although Cooke holds it for the Commissioners for about 12s. an acre; and if he will see that this farm is divided amongst those tenants with as little delay as possible?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe lands of Tristaun, on the estate of Lord Clancarty, county Galway, were acquired by the Estates Commissioners in 1911. The lands of Killurebeg, on the same estate, are at present the subject of proceedings for sale to the Commissioners under Section 6 of the Irish Land Act, 1903. Mr. Cook was grazing tenant of the lands under a temporary letting, but gave up possession of Tristaun on 1st March, 1912, when the Commissioners took it over. The persons amongst whom these lands were divided by the Commissioners were placed in occupation in March, 1912. The owner has acepted the offer of the Commissioners for the lands of Killurebeg, and a scheme for their division will be prepared as soon as practicable, but the Commissioners are not in a position to take over possession of the lands until their scheme is settled. In the meantime they understand the lands are being grazed by Mr. Cook under a temporary letting from the owner.
§ 21. Mr. JOHN ROCHEasked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that the Trench estate at Drimatubber, Gurtymadden, county Galway, has been in the hands of the Estates Commissioners for the past six years; and will he direct that the grass lands shall be distributed amongst the tenants with as little delay as possible?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThis estate has not been acquired by the Estates Commissioners, 392 but is the subject of proceedings for sale to them under Section 6 of the Irish Land Act, 1903, and the owner has accepted their offer for its purchase. The estate will not be reached in order of priority until next year, and meanwhile the Commissioners are not in a position to take over the estate and distribute the untenanted lands.