HC Deb 04 May 1911 vol 25 cc721-3W
Mr. SCANLAN

asked the Chief Secretary the cause of the delay on the part of the Estates Commissioners in completing the purchase and division of the Ballygrehan ranch, part of the King estate, parish of Templeboy, county Sligo; if he can now state when the partition of this estate is likely to be completed; and whether the Commissioners are aware of the discontent prevailing in the district on account of the delay in purchasing and dividing up this ranch?

Mr. BIRRELL

There has been no delay with regard to the sale of these lands under the Land Purchase Acts. They will be dealt with in order of priority, but, having regard to the prior claims of other estates, the Estates Commissioners are not at present in a position to say when they will be reached.

Mr. GINNELL

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that, on the 22nd May, 1910, Mr. Arthur O'Conor, the owner, offered for sale to the Congested Districts Board for relief of congestion the lands of Palace, Shankill, and Kilvoy, near Elphin, county Roscommon, and that on the 7th September he repeated the offer, expressed his willingness to accept a price to be fixed by arbitration, and asked in what other way he could facilitate the distribution of the lands; and, in view of the

urgent local necessity of distribution of those lands, if he will say why the Board take no action, and when they propose to take any?

Mr. BIRRELL

On the 22nd May, 1910, Mr. O'Conor wrote to the Congested Districts Board, stating that he desired to sell the lands of Palace and Shankill to the Board, with the lands of Kilvoy and Garrynaphort. He had previously offered the last-mentioned lands to the Estates Commissioners, and had received an estimate of value from them, which he declined to accept. The Board obtained the maps and particulars of the Kilvoy and Garrynaphort lands from the Estates Commissioners, and have had these lands valued, and an offer will be made for them.

If Mr. O'Conor will lodge with the Board maps and necessary particulars of the lands of Palace and Shankill the Board will have them valued and an offer made for them as soon as practicable.