HC Deb 28 April 1909 vol 4 c454W
Mr. GINNELL

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he will state the amount of land in statute acres now in the Land Judge's Court for sale; the earliest year in which any of that land became subject to that court for sale; and, having regard to the temporary purpose of sale for which that court was established, its tendency not to sell but to become a permanent land-owning institution, and the general desire that sales of land should proceed rapidly and at fair prices, whether the Government will arrange for the immediate sale of all the land subject to that court for sale and the termination of the expense which the continuance of that court entails?

Mr. BIRRELL

I am informed by the Registrar of the Land Judges Court that the statistics asked for by the hon. Member could not be supplied without undue interference with the public business of the court. He also informs me that drastic steps have been taken since the appointment of the present Land. Judge to clear the court lists, and that there are now only 204 agricultural estates remaining in court unsold. The answer to the concluding portion of the question is in the negative.