§ Sir WALTER NUGENTasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if his attention has been called to the inconvenience caused to both buyers and sellers by the new regulations dealing with the sale of untenanted 1393W land, recently issued by the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, by means of which contracts which were entered into for the sale of such land on a cash basis under the 1903 Act may now not be dealt with for several years; and whether he can hold out any hope that these regulations will be modified in the near future?
§ Mr. BIRRELLAs I have already pointed out in reply to a question asked by the hon. and gallant Member for East Down, on 31st March last, the new regulations were necessary in order to give effect to Sub-section (2) of Section 3 of the Irish Land Act, 1909. The order of priority is maintained, with the difference that advances may now be accelerated by the acceptance in whole or part of stock. I cannot hold out hope of any amendment of the regulations which might tend to defeat the express object of the Section to which I have referred—namely, to induce vendors to accept stock in lieu of cash.