§ Mr. MULDOONasked the number of acres of land proposed, since the Act of 1907 became law, to be acquired by notice in the "Dublin Gazette" by the Estates Commissioners under the Evicted Tenants Act; how many have been actually acquired; and what reason can be assigned for the delay which has occurred in putting the provisions of the Act into operation?
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§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners inform me that they have published notices in the "Dublin Gazette" of their intention to acquire 41,812 acres under the Evicted Tenants Act, but that up to the present they have only been able to acquire 6,035 acres. There has been no delay on the part of the Commissioners in putting the Act into operation; but a number of legal objections have been raised by the owners of lands, which the Commissioners proposed to acquire.