§ Mr. HACKETTasked the Chief Secretary whether the estate of U. J. Bourke, Boher West, Toom, Cappawhite, has been dealt with by the Estates Commissioners; whether he is aware that Timothy Hammersley, a tenant on the property, was compelled under threat of eviction to sign a purchase agreement by the agent, C. E. Vandeleur, Mallow; and whether the Estates Commissioners will cause an inspection of Hammersley's holding to be made before completing the sale of the estate?
§ Mr. BIRRELLTimothy Hammersley signed an agreement to purchase his holding on the estate of John W. Bourke, county Tipperary, which was sold direct by the owner to the tenants under the Irish Land Act, 1903, and the Estates Commissioners sanctioned the advance applied for, the annuity on which represents a reduction of 27.8 per cent. of the judicial rent of the holding fixed in 1905. The holding has been vested in Hammersley, and the matter cannot be reopened.
§ Mr. NEWMANasked how many tenant purchasers under the Acts of 1885 and 1888 became entitled, under Section 25 (2) (a) and 25 (5) of the Act of 1896, to decadal 398W reductions by extending the term of their purchase annuities from forty-nine to seventy-nine years, and how many of them accepted the extension; how many tenant purchasers under the Act of 1891 became entitled, under the same provisions of the Act of 1896, to decadal reductions by extending the term of their annuities from forty-two years and a-half to seventy-two years and a-half, and how many of them accepted the extension; what is the length of the term during which, under normal conditions, the purchase annuity of 3½ per cent. enacted by Section 1 (1) of the Act of 1909 will be payable; what would be the length of the term during which, under normal conditions, a purchase annuity of 3¼ per cent. would be payable if the interest were 3 per cent. and the sinking funds ¼ per cent.; and what would be the annuities and the term required for the repayment of £100 if two decadal reductions of the annuity of 3½ per cent. enacted by the Act of 1909 were permitted on the principle enacted respecting three decadal reductions by Section 25 (1) and 25 (2) of the Act of 1896, but assuming the interest and sinking fund to be respectively 3 per cent. and ¼ per cent.?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe number of cases under the Land Purchase Acts, 1885–1888, which matured for revision of the annuities on the expiration of the first decade in accordance with the provisions of Section 25 of the Land Law (Ireland) Act, 1896, was 25,400, in 24,440 of which revision was accepted. Out of 14,000 cases under the same Acts which matured for second decadal revision 13,290 accepted revision. Under the Acts 1891–1896, 25,477 cases matured for a first decadal revision, and in 25,105 of these revision was accepted. Under normal conditions the Annuity of 3½ per cent. enacted by Section 1 (1) of the Act of 1909 will run for 65½ years. Under normal conditions an Annuity of 3¼ per cent., consisting of 3 per cent. for interest; and ¼ per cent. for sinking fund, would run for 86½ pears; but if this Annuity were subject to two of the decadal revisions provided in the Act of 1896 the term would be extended to 106½ years, the Annuity being for the first ten years £3 5s. per cent. for the second ten years £3 3s. 2d. per cent., and for the ensuing 86½ years £3 ls. 4d. per cent.
§ Mr. DORISasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether Mr. Maurice O'Connor has offered his leasehold interest in the lands of Ardbooley and Poolaraddy, on the 399W Blosse estate, county Mayo, for sale to the Congested Districts Board; and, if so, whether the Board have taken any steps to acquire such interest?
§ Mr. BIRRELLCommunications have taken place between the Congested Districts Board and the lessee of the lands referred to with a view to their sale to the Board, but the necessary forms and maps have not yet been lodged.
§ Mr. DORISasked whether, on the sale of the Blosse estate, county Mayo, the Congested Districts Board promised to give additional lands to the occupiers of uneconomic holdings in Balla, Rathduff, Knocknamoholane, Ballinagran, Loonamore, Loonabeg, and Clogher; and, if so, why such promise has not yet been fulfilled?
§ Mr. BIRRELLNo promise as alleged was made by the Congested Districts Board. When negotiating for the purchase of the estate referred to, the tenants were informed by the Board that before utilising any of the untenanted lands for relief of congestion outside the estate, an effort would be made to relieve congestion on the estate by offering to the small holders on the property adjacent to the untenanted land parcels for the enlargement of their holdings, and providing new holdings for migrants from congested portions of the estate not adjacent to the untenanted lands. The untenanted lands are being disposed of in this way. A portion of a large farm held under a judicial tenancy has been recently acquired for the purpose of enlarging some of the small holdings at Knocknamoholane.