§ Mr. O'SHEEasked the Chief Secretary whether James and Margaret Morrissey, as the representatives of Mrs. Mary Morrissey, deceased, who was evicted from the estate of Sir John Nugent, county Waterford, are on the list of persons deemed suitable to be provided with holdings; what steps have been taken to provide for them; whether Sir John Nugent has lodged an originating application for the sale of his estate to certain tenants; whether one of the alleged tenants is his brother, Mr. Charles Nugent Humble, who is in possession of portion of the evicted holding of Mrs. Mary Morrissey; whether he is aware that Mr. Charles Nugent Humble is himself a large landowner and has in his possession a large area of un-tenanted lands, including several evicted farms; whether this Mr. Humble obtained an advance for the purchase of land as tenant of his brother under former Land Purchase Acts; and, if so, how much?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners have received applications for reinstatement from Margaret and Thomas Morrissey. They have provisionally noted the name of the latter for consideration, and have referred his case to one of their inspectors for report. I under- 2273W stand that Sir John Nugent has lodged an originating application for the sale of his estate, and that one of the holdings included in the application is in the occupation of Mr. C. Nugent Humble. The Commissioners are aware that Mr. C. Nugent Humble obtained advances amounting to £2,823 under former Land Purchase Acts for the purchase of 224 acres of land formerly in the possession of Sir John Nugent Humble. In May, 1908, the Commissioners published a notice in the "Dublin Gazette" of their intention to acquire one of the holdings comprised in these lands compulsorily under the Evicted Tenants Act, but the High Court of Justice decided that they could not acquire it. The Commissioners have recently published a notice of their intention to acquire other lands on the estate, and the matter is pending.
§ Mr. O'SHEEasked the Chief Secretary what is the cause of the delay in the acquisition by the Estates Commissioners of the untenanted lands on the Fuge and Little estates, county Waterford; whether the Estates Commissioners expect to complete the arrangements for the purchase of the same soon; and whether they will endeavour to expedite the matter, so as to be in a position to put the evicted tenants and others, including some of the local labourers, into possession of holdings on these lands within the next month?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners inform tae that there has been no delay with regard to the estates of Mrs. M. J. Little and others and Richard P. Fuge, which are being dealt with in order of priority. The Commissioners cannot at present say when they will be in a position to acquire lands.