§ Mr. VINCENT KENNEDYasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, how many sales have taken place up to date under the Irish Land Act, 1909; what amount has been advanced under this Act; and will he say what has been the average time which elapsed between the filing of purchase agreements under this Act and the date when the advance was made, stating also 1941W the shortest and longest time involved in any such transactions under this Act?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners inform me that advances amounting to £1,831,277, repayable by 3½ per cent, annuities under the Irish Land Act, 1909, have been made in respect of 6,216 holdings, and proceedings are pending in respect of 18,900 holdings, the estimated purchase money being £4,100,000. It is not possible to give the information asked for in the concluding portion of the question, but it may be stated that estates agreed to be sold under the Act of 1909 are dealt with irrespective of estates agreed to be sold under the Act of 1903, and the purchase money is advanced as soon as the lands have been inspected and the Commissioners' requirements as to title, boundaries, and other matters are complied with.
§ Mr. HAYDENasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the Estates Commissioners have purchased a portion of the Goodall estate, in the parish of Kilbride, county Roscommon; if so, what is the extent of this portion and the extent of the portion unpurchased; and whether any steps are being taken to acquire the remainder, which is needed for the enlargement of uneconomic holdings on this and adjoining estates?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe portion of the Goodall estate which was the subject of proceedings for sale to the Estates Commissioners under Section 6 of the Irish Land Act, 1903, has since been purchased by the Congested Districts Board and comprises about 530 acres. The other portion of the property was sold as a direct sale under the same Act and has been vested in the purchasing tenants.
§ Mr. HAYDENasked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that the Gunning estate, county Roscommon, has now been in the hands of the Estates Commissioners for a considerable time, and that they are making no progress towards acquiring the grazing farm of Cloonmurly, which is adjacent to a number of uneconomic holdings on the same estate; whether, in the event of the Estates Commissioners failing to take over the farm, it is the intention of the Congested Districts Board to take it over without delay in order to relieve the poorer tenants on the same estate by having the grazing lands distributed amongst them; whether he is aware that the gentleman in possession of this 1942W grazing farm, Cloonmurly, is not living thereon, but is residing about three miles away, at Lisbride, on a very large estate already purchased from the Estates Commissioners; whether the said gentleman is-also in possession of another large estate, called Crows' Gap, which is now used as a grazing ranch; and will the Congested Districts Board take immediate action in the matter?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThis estate is the subject of direct sale proceedings before the Estates Commissioners under the Irish Land Act, 1903, and is being dealt with in order of priority. The farm of Cloonmurly referred to is tenanted land, and subject to a judicial rent, and cannot, therefore, be acquired by the Commissioners as untenanted land for the purposes of division. The tenant of this farm has already obtained an advance of £3,000 for the purchase of a holding on another estate, and the Commissioners do not propose to make him any further advance to purchase the Cloonmurly farm.
§ Mr. SHEEHANalso asked whether the demesne lands on the Massey estate, county Cork, now and for several years past let on the eleven-months' grazing system, have been offered by the Land Judge to the Estates Commissioners for sale; whether the other untenanted land, mountain areas, and turbary, are amongst the matters to be acquired by the Estates Commissioners; is an inspection being made of these, as well as of the tenants' holdings, so that they may be acquired for the improvement of the condition of the evicted tenants, small holders, and labourers in the locality; and when is it hoped to complete the inspection of the estate, and to make the offer to the Land Judge?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners inform me that the untenanted land on this estate in respect of which the Land Judge has caused the Estates Commissioners to be furnished with particulars with a view to purchase under Section 7 of the Irish Land Act, 1903, consists for the most part of mountain and bog. An inspection of the lands has been directed. The Commissioners are not in a position at present to reply to the other matters referred to in the question.
§ Mr. DORISasked the Chief Secretary why and by what authority the Congested Districts Board have relet to Mr. Houston Boswell, an absentee grazier, the large 1943W farm of Killary, county Mayo, on the estate which they purchased from the Earl of Lucan, while there are poor occupiers of uneconomic holdings in the neighbourhood who expected a distribution of this farm on the expiration of Mr. Houston Boswell's lease on 1st November proximo; has Mr. Houston Boswell another large farm on the estate of Lord Sligo in the same congested district; and will the Board take any steps to relieve congestion?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Congested Districts Board agreed that on the termination of Mr. Houston Boswell's lease of Killary Farm, which is situated on the Board's estate, they would make him a temporary letting of the farm for eleven months for grazing purposes from 1st November, as they would not be ready to deal with the farm until they acquire the neighbouring tenanted land. The Board are aware that Mr. Houston Boswell has another farm on Lord Sligo's estate in the same district, but they have not yet acquired this estate.
§ Mr. J. P. FARRELLasked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that nothing has since been done by the Estates Commissioners towards the purchase and subdivision of the lands of Clonfin, North Longford, under Section 6 of the Land Purchase Act, 1903; and will he state when a definite order for the purchase of this property will be made, seeing that almost five years have elapsed since the agreements for purchase of the tenanted part of the property were entered into?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners hope to be able to deal with the tenanted lands which are the subject of direct sale proceedings at an early date in their order of priority on the register of direct sales, and the untenanted land which is the subject of proceedings for sale to the Commissioners will be dealt with as soon as practicable in order of priority.
§ Mr. O'DOWDasked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that the tenanted and untenanted portions of the Castleheyno estate, situated near Collooney, county Sligo (M. F. Stack, landlord, and R. St. G. Robinson, Sligo, agent), were some time ago examined and valued by officials of the Congested Districts Board; whether the Cloonela grazing farm, occupied by Mr. Gilmor, Roscrib, Ballymote, county Sligo, and Armsbrack (B. Morrow, Sligo, landlord), all in the 1944W same locality, were valued at the same time; and, if so, whether steps will be taken to purchase these farms for the purpose of having the cottier holdings surrounding them enlarged?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe estates of Messrs. M. F. Stack, A. W. Gilmor, and B. Morrow have been inspected by the Congested Districts Board. An offer has been issued for the purchase of the estate of Mr. Stack, and an offer will shortly be made for the purchase of Mr. B. Morrow's estate. The Board hope to come to a decision regarding the estate of Mr. Gilmor at their next meeting.