§ Dr. AMBROSEasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he will explain why the tenants on the Bingham estate, situate at Crimlin, near Castlebar, county Mayo, are charged by the Congested Districts Board the old rent, although the game and mineral rights which were promised them have been withheld by the Board?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe tenants on the Crimlin section of the Bingham estate1066W have only been charged interest at 3½ per cent, on the purchase price of their re-arranged holdings since 1st November, 1906, in accordance with their new contracts of tenancy and undertakings to purchase. Twenty-seven of these tenants were given the opportunity to sign their purchase agreements on 3rd July. Of these 22 refused to sign the agreements, and were informed by the Congested Districts Board that they would be charged the full rent reserved under their contracts of tenancy, less such payments for interest on the purchase money as have been made by them. After conference with the tenants, it was arranged that the sporting rights on this section of the estate should be reserved and vested in trustees for the benefit of the tenants. This will be done as soon as the holdings are vested in the tenants by the Land Commission. No promise of mineral rights was or could be made, as all such rights are vested in the Land Commission.