§ Mr. CHARLES CRAIGasked the Chief Secretary if he will state, with reference to the Provisional Regulations, dated 15th February, 1910, and made by His Excellency under Section 23 (8) of the Irish Land Act, 1903, and Section 4 of the Irish Land Act, 1909, what is the estimated or probable amount of the necessary funds for the purposes of the Labourers Acts which must be provided out of the money which may become available for the purposes of advances during the financial year commencing 1st April, 1910; whether the money required for the Bonus or Land Purchase Aid Fund will be also deducted from the money that may become available for the purposes of advances, and, if so, what will be its estimated or probable amount in the year named above; what is the total amount of the pending purchase agreements on each of the three principal registers mentioned in the above Provisional Regulations; and will there be any, and, if so, what limitation on the amount of Two and Three-quarters per Cent. Stock which will be issued during any one year to vendors who may agree to accept payment wholly or partly in such stock?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Local Government Board estimate the amount of the necessary funds for the purposes of the Labourers Acts, to be provided as stated in the question, as approximately £1,250,000. It may be assumed that as heretofore the Treasury, when informing the Land Commission of the issue of stock for the purposes of land purchase, will at the same time inform them how much of the cash realised has been set apart for purposes of bonus. In the case of pending purchase agreements, it may be assumed that, subject to the provisions of the Irish Land Acts of 1903 and 1909, the bonus will be at the rate of 12 per cent. on the amount of the advances which may be made. The figures entered on the three principal registers respectively are: Direct sales, £47,016,938; sales to the Estate Commissioners under Sections 6, 7, and 8 of Act of 1903, £4,098,873; sales to the Congested Districts Board, £229,804. The figures vary each week as payments are made. The amount of Two and Three-quarter per cent. Stock which may be issued during a year in respect of advances made half in stock and half in cash will, of course, be determined by the amount of cash available for this class of cases. The amount1444W of Two and Three-quarter per cent. Stock which may be issued during a year for advances to vendors who may agree to take the whole in stock is only limited by the amount of such cases which the Land Commission can administratively dispose of in addition to the other classes of cases.