§ Mr. DANIEL BOYLEasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland the present state of the negotiations for the purchase of the following estates in the barony of Erris, J. P. Brabazon, Messrs. W. H. M. Kirk-county Mayo, by the Congestel Districts Board, namely, the estates of General wood, Penis Bingham, H. H. S. Bingham, E. C. Walshe, and John O'Donnell, also Mrs. Atkinson and Mary Moran; if he is aware that the documents in relation to these estates have been lodged with the Congested Districts Board for periods varying from six months to two years; that they have been valued by the Board's officers for corresponding periods; that in May, 1912, an intimation was received from the Board that offers would be made for nearly all these estates by September, 1912; that by reason of the congestion, isolation, and poverty of this barony the tenants naturally and justifiably assumed that they would be amongst the earliest to be dealt with by the Board, and that they are correspondingly depressed by the neglect shown them; will he state the cause of the Board's inaction; and will he now undertake, as President of the Board, to push forward to completion the purchase of these and other estates in Erris now on offer to the Board?
§ Mr. BIRRELLOffers have been issued by the Congested Districts Board and accepted by the vendors for the following estates:—General Sir J. P. Brabazon, John O'Donnell, and Mrs. Moran. The Board issued an offer for the estate of W. H. M. Kirkwood, which was not accepted. Offers will shortly be issued for the estate of E. C. Walshe and W. H. S. Bingham. In the case of the Denis Bingham estate complete documents were not lodged with the 1711W Board until December last, and the necessary documents in regard to Mrs. Atkinson's estate were only lodged in March of this year. These two estates were valued in May, and the Board hope to issue offers shortly. With the exception of the two last-named estates, the statement in the question regarding the lodgment of documents and valuation of the estates is correct, and an intimation in the terms mentioned was sent to the hon. Member in May, 1912. The estates referred to have been or will be dealt with as soon as practicable, having regard to the number of other estates which have been offered for sale.
§ Mr. GODFREY COLLINSasked the Chief Secretary how much of the land under Classification 4 in Command Paper, NO. 6,930, entitled Lands in respect of which proceedings for sale have not been instituted under the Land Purchase Acts, can or may be sold to the tenants?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI would refer the hon. Member to the concluding paragraph of the introductory memorandum to the Paper referred to in the question.