§ Mr. O'SHAUGHNESSYasked the Chief Secretary what progress is being made with the sale of the Mahony congested estate.at Mount Collins, county Limerick; whether the Estates Commissioners have yet been satisfied as to the title of the untenanted lands about to be acquired by them for the improvement of the estate being sound; and whether he will take steps to see that the sale is completed as soon as possible?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe additional land which the Estates Commissioners desire to acquire has not yet been vested in them and the statutory requirements as to title and other matters have not been complied with up to the present, and until this is done and they have acquired the land the Commissioners cannot deal with it.
Mr. FREDERICK HALL (Dulwich)asked the Chief Secretary the area of land purchased and the total amount paid therefor under the Wyndham Act in Ireland in the three years 1907–9, the area purchased and the price paid in respect thereof in the three years 1910–12, inclusive; and what are the terms of purchase wider the Act referred to and those under the new Bill proposed by the Government?
§ Mr. BIRRELLIn the three years ending 31st March, 1910, £18,676,850 was advanced in. respect of lands purchased under the Irish Land Ad, 1903, comprising 1,780,750 acres, and in the three succeeding years ending 31st March, 1913, £20,125,314 was advanced in respect of lands purchased under that Act comprising 1,992,700 acres. Under the Act of 1903 the purchase money was payable in cash and the advances were repayable by the purchasers by annuities at 3¼ per cent. As regards the terms of the new Bill, I would ask the hon. Member to await the circulation of the Bill, and the White Paper that is to accompany it.