§ 19. Mr. FITZPATRICKasked whether Lord Castletown is about to evict from 2918 the lands of Lisduff a man named Michael Loughman, who has been in occupation of a house and small holding for over twenty-four years in the townland of Lisduff; if these lands have been the subject of a scheme of division which the Estates Commissioners approved of and which Lord Castletown refused to proceed with; if Loughman is being evicted for the purpose of handing over his home to a man named Barton, whom Lord Castletown brought on the lands to defeat the scheme approved of by the Commissioners; and whether some action will be taken by the Estates Commissioners or otherwise to prevent this eviction?
Mr. SAMUELFor the facts regarding this estate I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 6th January last to a question of the late Member for the Leix Division of Queen's County. Michael Loughman has been informed by the Land Commissioners that they cannot interfere on his behalf with Lord Castletown, who, as the owner of the lands in question, has full control in the matter.
§ Mr. P. J. MEEHANIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that this man has a wife and family of nine children and has been working on the estate as steward for twenty-four years, in occupation of a house, and does he consider it proper procedure on Lord Castletown's part to evict him?
Mr. SAMUELIf the facts are as stated by the hon. Member, it would appear to be a somewhat hard case; but I am advised that there is no power for the Government to interfere.
§ Mr. MEEHANIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that this man has offered Lord Cactletown any rent he likes to put on the holding?
§ 21. Mr. FITZPATRICKasked whether that part of the lands of Lisduff, situate in the Castletown estate, Queen's County, were divided up amongst the tenants on the estate; if some time ago the agent of the owner approached the tenants with a view to having the remainder of the lands divided among them, and asked the Rev. Canon Brennan, parish priest, Rathdowney, to prepare a scheme of division; if the Rev. Canon Brennan prepared a scheme, lodged the same with the Estates Commissioners, and that the Estates Commissioners approved of the same subject to slight modifications; if the owner now refuses to proceed with the scheme, notwithstanding his agent's treaty with the 2919 tenants, and is endeavouring to redeem that portion of the annuity attributable to the undivided portion of the land; if it is the owner's intention when the annuity is redeemed to divide the lands amongst three parties, one of whom is a non-tenant and already holds 200 acres of land; and whether under the circumstances, the Estates Commissioners or Land Commission will allow the owner to redeem that part of the annuity attributable to the undivided part of the lands without redeeming the annuity on the whole lands and permit him to repudiate the solemn bargain entered into with his tenants?
Mr. SAMUELThe facts of this case were fully set out in the reply given on the 6th January last to a question of the late Member for the Leix Division of Queen's County. To that reply there is now nothing to add except that Lord Castletown has a right to redeem the annuity payable out of the residue of the lands remaining on his hands after the apportionment has taken place in the same way that any other tenant purchaser has the right to redeem his land purchase annuity.
§ Mr. MEEHANHave not the Estates Commissioners power to prevent a portion of a holding being redeemed without the whole annuity being redeemed?