§ Mr. HORNERasked how many acres of land are stocked with cattle the property of the Congested Districts Board and of the Estates Commissioners; and in what counties and districts are the lands situated?
§ Mr. BIRRELLTwo thousand two hundred and thirty-five acres of land are stocked solely with cattle belonging to the Congested Districts Board. In addition, the Board have 12,864 acres stocked with cattle partly belonging to them and partly to small landholders, but, as the cattle graze in common the area stocked with each cannot be separately given. The lands are situated in the counties of Clare, Galway, Mayo, and Roscommon. The Estates Commissioners have not stocked any land with cattle.
§ Mr. HORNERasked whether the Congested Districts Board for Ireland and the Estates Commissioners are carrying on a 160W business in buying and selling cattle; if so, when was the business begun; what was the profit or loss up to 1st February last; and whether any and, if so, how many police have been employed in protecting either the cattle or the persons attending or herding them?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Congested Districts Board have bought and sold cattle to put on untenanted land in their own occupation (pending re-sale) whenever the occupiers of neighbouring small holdings have not sufficient cattle to stock such untenanted land. The Board made their first purchase of cattle for this purpose in December, 1899. The net profit derived by the Board out of grass lands in their hands up to November, 1910 (when the grazing season ended) was £7,466. Police have not been employed upon protection duty in connection with the Board's lands, except in the case of certain farms in county Kerry, in which two police have been employed protecting the caretaker since November, 1900. The Estates Commissioners do not buy or sell cattle.