§ 4. Mr. GINNELLasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that all the tenants on the estate of the Marquess of Conyngham who completed their purchase with him direct secured for themselves all game and fishing rights on the river Owenea which flows through the estate; whether he is aware that, while negotiations were proceeding between the landlord and the remaining tenants, similar rights on the same river being the only point in difference between them, the Congested Districts Board intervened on behalf of the landlord by purchasing the remainder of the estate with its appurtenant rights in trust for the tenants; will he state the entire sum paid by the Board for the property, for the rights on the river, and for the rights on the estuary, respectively, and any bonus paid in addition; whether those tenants have been appointed managing trustees of the fishing or have themselves appointed others for that duty; whether they are willing, if conceded their own rights, to co-operate with the Board in fishing and preserving the fish generally; whether he is aware that the disorder resulting from the present attitude of the Board is, by facilitating poachers, destructive of the property of the tenants and of the Board; and whether the Board will reconsider the matter with a view to such an amicable settlement as those tenants would have obtained from the landlord if the Board had not intervened?
§ The CHIEF SECRETARY for IRELAND (Mr. Birrell)I am informed that none of the tenants of the Marquess of Conyngham purchased fishing rights on the Owenea river, and that none of those in the Glenties or Owenea watershed bought their holdings by direct sale. Negotiations did take place between landlord and tenants in the Glenties and Downstrands sections of the estate, but the efforts were abortive for reasons of which I am unaware, and the Congested Districts Board, who were subsequently approached by representatives of both parties, agreed to negotiate for the purchase of these sections. The purchase price of the property is £62,496, Three per Cent. Stock, with a bonus the amount of which has not yet been determined by the Land Commission, but will be calculated in accordance with the First Schedule of the Irish Land Act, 1909. The price for the Owenea Fishery is additional 378 and amounts to £2,276, which sum has not been apportioned as between the estuary and the river. The Board are now in possession of the fishery, which is managed by them and their officials after a scheme to vest it in local trustees on behalf of the riparian tenants was frustrated by some of the latter. I cannot agree with the suggestion contained in the penultimate part of the question, and at the same time I understand that the Board, who are preserving the river to the best of their ability, are quite willing to discuss any reasonable proposal which the riparian tenants may put forward for the transfer of the fishery to them.
§ Mr. GINNELLCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether the riparian owners will, after purchase, have the same fishing rights that they had before?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI do not quite know what were the fishing rights they had before, but as I understand it, they might have taken some rights to which they were not entitled, but I understand the Congested Districts Board are most anxious that all the fishing rights of this river should be vested in the riparian owners and worked according to some scheme to be agreed upon.
§ Mr. GINNELLWill the riparian tenants either be put on the board of trustees or allowed to appoint men on that board?
§ Mr. BIRRELLOf course, if the Board is a joint operation, they will have their share in its formation.