§ Mr. O'SULLIVANasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if, owing to the number of complaints made by the tenants who have signed purchase agreements on the Earl of Kenmare's estate, county 342W Kerry, that Lord Kenmare is not carrying out the terms of the written agreement signed by him, and on the faith of which the tenants signed their purchase agreements, he will ask the Estates Commissioners to send one of their inspectors to inquire locally into these complaints, and if, after having made inquiries in the locality, the inspector reports that the tenants' complaints are well founded, proper steps will be taken by the Estates Commissioners to see that the tenants get the benefit of their agreements; and if they will suspend the collection of interest until this is done?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners understand that Lord Kenmare is prepared to carry out the arrangements come to between him and the tenants. The Commissioners will cause inquiries to be made into any complaints when the estate is being inspected in its proper order, and will take such steps as may be necessary in the matter.
§ Mr. JOHN O'CONNORasked whether a formal offer has been made by the Estates Commissioners for the purchase of the Aylmer estate, in the county of Kildare; has the offer, if any, been accepted by the landlord; and if not, do the Estates Commissioners contemplate putting into operation the compulsory sections of the Land Act?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners have issued a formal proposal for the purchase of this estate, which has not yet been accepted by the owner, and the Commissioners are in communication with his solicitors on the subject.
§ Mr. O'SULLIVANasked the Chief Secretary if he is aware that Lord Kenmare, having in May, 1907, entered into an agreement for the sale of his Kerry estates to his tenants, which agreement contained a clause to the effect that all the turbary on the estate should be vested in the Estates Commissioners for the benefit of the tenants, Mr. Drennan, the assistant secretary to the Estates Commissioners, refused to allow this clause to be inserted in the tenants' purchase agreement (Form F), or to allow a clause relating to the vesting of turbary in committees for the use of the tenants to be inserted in the purchase agreements (Form F); and will he say if these proceedings by Mr. Drennan had the sanction of the Estates Commissioners, and, if so, why the Estates Commissioners acted in this manner without even communicating with the tenants?
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§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners were not parties to the agreement stated to have been entered into between Lord Kenmare and his tenants. The proposal to vest the turbary in the Commissioners was not one which could be carried out and the insertion of any such clause in the purchase agreements of the tenants would have been irregular, and the officials were acting in accordance with directions in pointing this out to the vendor's solicitor. The question of the turbary will be inquired into when the estate is being dealt with in its proper turn. Where portion of tenants' holdings consists of bog and the tenants of such holdings had not an exclusive right of turbary before the sale, the purchase agreements of such tenants contain a clause that the management and the disposal of the turbary is to be vested in trustees to be selected by the tenants or the Estates Commissioners, and the Commissioners have appointed trustees for the management of such turbary pending the completion of the sale.
§ Mr. HAYDENasked whether the Estates Commissioners are in possession of about 1,000 acres of untenanted land on the St. George estate, Cam, near Athlone, county Roscommon; whether they have prepared a scheme for the redistribution of this land; whether according to this scheme the whole of this land will be divided amongst about fifteen persons; whether possession has yet been given to any of these persons; whether he is aware of the dissatisfaction in the district in connection with this scheme, especially considering that there are several occupiers of uneconomic holdings in the immediate vicinity whose names have been forwarded to the Estates Commissioners; and whether, in view of these facts, the Estates Commissioners will take local feeling into consideration in connection with their scheme or, as an alternative, transfer this land to the Congested Districts Board?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe owner of this estate has accepted the formal proposal of the Estates Commissioners to purchase 840 acres of untenanted land for the sum of £5,800, but the Commissioners have not yet acquired possession of the lands. The Commissioners have approved of a scheme for the allotment of these lands, and as at present advised see no reason for altering it. They are not prepared to discuss the details of a scheme prepared in the exercise of the discretion vested in them. If the Congested Districts Board desire to344W purchase this estate, and the owner consents, the Estates Commissioners will place no obstacle in the way of this being done.
§ Mr. O'SULLIVANasked the Chief Secretary (1) whether he will ascertain from the Estates Commissioners whether, prior to the tenants on the Earl of Kenmare's estate, county Kerry, signing agreements to purchase their holdings, Lord Kenmare signed an agreement undertaking to vest all the turbary on his estate in committees for the benefit of his tenants, yet, notwithstanding this fact, on the maps lodged with the Estates Commissioners over 1,000 acres of valuable turbary are marked as excluded from the sale; if he will get the Estates Commissioners to cause immediate inquiries to be made into this matter and see that this turbary is vested in committees for the benefit of the tenants; and (2) if a memorial has been forwarded by a large number of tenants on the estate of the Earl of Kenmare, county Kerry, to the Estates Commissioners, setting forth that prior to their having signed their purchase agreements under the Land Purchese Acts Lord Kenmare signed an agreement agreeing to vest all the turbary on his estate in committees for the benefit of his tenants, so that all the tenants might be provided with turbary; if he is aware that Lord Kenmare or his agent has refused to provide those tenants with turf; if the Estates Commissioners will cause inquiries to be made into the subject of the tenants' memorial; and if they find that the facts are correctly stated therein, if they will cease to collect interest on the tenants' purchase money until Lord Kenmare carries out his part of the agreement and provides the tenants with turbary?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners understand from the solicitor having carriage that the vendor does not propose to reserve any turbary, and that it will all be included in the sale. When this estate is being inspected in order of priority due inquiry will be made as regards the memorial signed by a number of tenants on the estate and other communications received relative to turbary. Having regard to the prior claims of other estates, the Commissioners cannot accede to the hon. Member's request that an inspector should be sent at once to inquire into this matter. In the purchase agreements signed by the tenants they contracted to pay interest in lieu of rent, and the Commissioners are under statutory obligations to proceed with its collection.