HC Deb 08 September 1909 vol 10 cc1449-50W
Mr. LARDNER

asked the Chief Secretary if he is aware that shortly after the passing of the Land Act of 1903 Mrs. Margaret Donaldson lodged an application for reinstatement in the holding in the town-land of Corrinshigo, county Monaghan, formerly occupied by her husband, Thomas Donaldson, deceased, and from which he was evicted for non-payment of two and a-half years' rent, and that the Estates Commissioners have replied that they have decided not to take any action in the matter, notwithstanding the fact that a communication was sent to her from an official of the Estates Commissioners inquiring if she would accept another farm in lieu of that from which her late husband was evicted if the Commissioners were unable to reinstate her in the evicted farm; if he will cause inquiries to be made into this ease as to why the Commissioners have now decided not to take any action in the matter, although at one stage in the proceedings they proposed to provide her with another holding; and if he will state the reason why the Commissioners have decided not to take any action in the matter, due to the fact that they are unable to acquire a farm to give her instead of that from which her husband was evicted?

Mr. BIRRELL

The Estates Commissioners inform me that they did not at any time propose to provide Mrs. Margaret Donaldson with a holding in lieu of that formerly occupied by her husband. The inspector who inquired into the application asked in the course of his inquiry whether she would be prepared to take a farm elsewhere if allotted to her. The Commissioners do not consider Mrs. Donaldson a suitable person to be provided with a holding, and have decided to take no action in the matter of her application.