§ Mr. O'DONNELLasked the Chief Secretary whether, when tenants on the estate of W. H. Marshall, Callinaferry, wrote to-the Estates Commissioners twelve months ago requesting that as the landlord had been paid his money their lands should be immediately vested, the Commissioners in their reply gave no intimation to the-tenants that the delay was due to the non-completion of any further documents; and whether, seeing that under those circumstances the Estates Commissioners are solely responsible for the loss caused to those tenants by being kept for nearly two-years after payment of purchase money to the landlord before they get the benefit of purchase, he will cause a full inquiry to be made into the whole matter?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners do not know what particular letter is referred to by the hon. Member, and cannot admit responsibility for any delay which has occurred in the vesting of their holdings in the tenants. As stated in reply to the hon. Member's question for the 17th February, the holdings are not yet vested owing to the tenants' delay in-executing the necessary deed for the maintenance of an embankment on the estate.
§ Mr. O'DONNELLasked when was the purchase money of the estate of W. R. L. Marshall, Milltown, county Kerry, paid to the vendor; what is the amount of the purchase money; what is the difference between what the tenants have paid since and the amount they would have paid at 2195W the rate of 2¾ per cent., the rate of interest paid by the Exchequer on Land Stock; where does this amount overpaid by the tenants go to; and whether, if this money will not be allowed the tenants, it will be spent on improvements on the estate?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners inform me that the purchase money of this estate (£37,413) was paid on the 29th July, 1909. Interest in lieu of rent payable by the purchasing tenants under Section 18 (1) of the Act of 1903 must be at the rate of not less than 3½ per cent. There has been no overpayment made in this case by the tenants who were only charged interest at this rate. Interest in lieu of rent collected by the Commissioners from tenants on estates purchased by them is utilised to meet the interest payable to vendors under Section 18 (2) of the Act, and interest payable to the National Debt Commissioners under Section 36 (1), as well as the expenses of management of the estates and the payment of local rates and taxes on the untenanted land comprised therein pending resale to the purchasers.
§ Mr. DELANYasked the Chief Secretary whether purchase agreements have been lodged with the Estates Commissioners for the sale of their holdings to the tenants on the estate of Lord Holmpatrick, Coolagh, Clonaslee, Queen's county; whether he is aware that one of the conditions of sale was that the untenanted land should be divided amongst the tenants, five in number; and, seeing that a proposal has been made to hand over this land, ninety acres, to one man, can he say whether the Estates Commissioners will, before sanctioning the sale, insist upon the original agreement being carried out?
§ Mr. BIRRELLPurchase agreements have been lodged in respect of the tenanted portion of this estate, and the owner has included some 177 statute acres as untenanted land for sale to the Estates Commissioners for sale amongst the tenants. No arrangements have yet been sanctioned for the allotment of the lands by the Commissioners. They have no knowledge of the other matters referred to in the question.