§ Mr. FFRENCHasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that the tenants on the Jacob estate agreed to purchase their holdings, and that the agreements were lodged with the Estates Commissioners in the months of March and April, 1908, the purchase-money being £4,270; and that, after the interest on the purchase-money had been twice paid, the Estates Commissioners have refused to declare the lands an estate; and will he communicate with the Estates Commissioners with a view to allowing the sale to go on?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners inform me that in this case the owner proposed to sell only portion of his estate under The Irish Land Act, 1903, and2138W the Commissioners, in the exercise of their discretion, refused to declare such portion to be an estate for the purposes of the Act. The interest in lieu of rent payable by the tenants was collected pursuant to section 35 of the Act of 1896, and by the terms of that section the amount collected is applicable as a payment on account of rent. I have no power to make representations to the Commissioners as regards the exercise of their discretion in such cases.