§ 25. Mr. FITZPATRICKasked the Chief Secretary if he is aware that Major Hamilton, agent for Lord Castletown, has given to large farmers and graziers on twenty-one years' leases the untenanted lands on the Grantstown estate, Ballacolla, Queen's County, notwithstanding the fact that Major Hamilton promised to sell this untenanted land to the Estates Commissioners for distribution at the time when negotiations for the sale of the tenanted portion of the estate were in progress; and whether, under the circumstances the Estates Commissioners will bring pressure to bear on Lord Castletown in order to acquire these lands for division amongst the uneconomic holders on this estate?
§ Mr. DUKEAs regards the first part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 6th January last to the hon. Member for the Leix Division of Queen's County. The demesne lands were not included in the lands for the sale of which proceedings for sale were instituted before the Estates Commissioners and the Commissioners are not aware of any promise from the vendor or his agent that they would be so included. The tenanted lands were sold by the vendor direct to the tenants under the Irish Land 1322 Act, 1903, and were vested in 1912 in the purchasers in accordance with the purchase agreements signed by the parties and lodged with the Land Commission. There are no proceedings now pending before the Estates Commissioners in respect of this estate, and they have no power to interfere in the matter.