§ Mr. LONSDALEasked the Chief Secretary of Ireland whether he will state, in continuation of the table given in a Written Answer on 28th October, 1908, for each half-year from 1st May, 1908, to 30th April, 1910, inclusive, the number of purchase agreements lodged with and the amount of loans for which application has been made to the Estates Commissioners, and the area covered by these applications?
2640W
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe following Statement gives the particulars asked for in respect of estates sold by landlords direct to tenants under the Irish Land Acts, 1903 and 1909:—
Period. No. of purchase agreemnts lodged. Amount of loans applied for. Area (approximate). Irish Land Act, 1903. £ Half-year ending: 31st Oct., 1908 61,421 18,301,413 1,488,346 30thApl., 1909 6,524 1,871,586, 152,205 31st Oct., 1909 4,621 1,092,763 88,868 Irish Land Act, 1909. 3rd Dec., 1909 to 30th June, 1910 2,379 611,226 78,080 The great increase in the number of applications lodged during the half-year ended 31st October, 1908, as explained in the last year's annual report of the Estates Commissioners, was due to the very large number of sales entered into during the period immediately preceding the revision on 24th November, 1908, by the Treasury under Section 48 (3) of the Irish Land Act, 1903, of the percentage payable as bonus to vendors out of the Land Purchase Aid Fund, no less than 38,345 purchase agreements applying for advances amounting to £10,929,285 having been lodged in the month of October, 1908, alone.