§ Mr. CREANasked the Chief Secretary whether circulars have been issued by the Irish Land Commissioners informing the agents of landlords who sold to their tenants three years ago that, in the event of such landlords electing to remain on the all cash register their sales would not be completed before the year 1930; and whether in the great majority of these cases the tenants will be three-quarters per cent. to one per cent. for the next ten years in excess of what they would have to pay if the sales were completed and the vesting order issued, and in addition that their term of redemption will be extended from sixty-eight and a half to over eighty years; and as in all those cases these arrangements were made long after those tenants had signed for purchase', and could not anticipate any such extra burden, can he hold out any hope of a speedier conclusion of those sales?
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§ Mr. BIRRELLNo such circular has been issued by the Land Commissioners. Sales under the Land Purchase Acts are dealt with in accordance with the provisions of these Acts, and in the priority prescribed by the regulations made there-under. The Commissioners have forwarded to each vendor a copy of the recent regulations as regards the allocation of the money which may become available in the financial year commencing 1st April next, and during each succeeding year, and have also sent them a copy of the prescribed form for use in case the vendor desires to elect under the Act of 1909 to accept payment either wholly or partly in stock.
§ Mr. CONDONasked the Chief Secretary whether the Estates Commissioners will make inquiry from Mr. H. D. Littlewood Clarke as to his willingness to sell to them for distribution the untenanted land on the estate in county Tipperary, in respect of which agreements were lodged in 1907 between himself and his tenants?
§ Mr. BIRRELLWhen this estate is being dealt with in order of priority the question of the acquisition of any untenanted land in the possession of the vendor will be considered by the Estates Commissioners.
§ Sir WALTER NUGENTasked the Chief Secretary if he can state what is the cause of the delay in dividing up portion of the estate of Mrs. Roe, near Streams-town, county Westmeath; and when will those lands be available for distribution?
§ Mr. BIRRELLProceedings for the sale to the Estates Commissioners for some sixty-three acres of untenanted land on the townland of Streamstown on the estate of Anna S. Roe are pending before the Commissioners. The owner has accepted the Commissioners' formal proposal to purchase the lands, but the estate has not yet been reached in order of priority, and having regard to the prior claims of other estates, the Commissioners are not in a position at present to say when it will be so reached.