§ Mr. PATRICK WHITEasked whether the Oldcastle Rural District Council reduced the rents of some labourers' cottages and the Local Government Board refused to sanction it; if so, will he state their reasons; and whether the district councils have power to acquire untenanted land for pasturage for the use of labourers' cows?
§ Mr. BIRRELLIn October, 1909, the Oldcastle Rural District Council proposed to reduce the rents to 10d. and 6d. per week for cottages with acre plots and with half-acre plots respectively, the existing rents being 1s. 3d. and 11d. The Local Government Board, however, declined to sanction the proposal, as they considered that the existing rents were very moderate having regard to the circumstances of the locality and the expenditure of the Council under the Labourers' Acts. As regards the final paragraph of the hon. Member's question I would refer him to Section 4 of the Irish Land Act of 1903 and Section 18 of the Irish Land Act of 1909.