§ Mr. GINNELLasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the Estates Commissioners will, in the exercise of their statutory powers, intervene and prevent the breakdown of the sale of Captain Smyth's Coole estate, Westmeath, owing to a question of bog, how much bog is comprised in that estate; how much of it is offered to the purchasing tenants; what is to be done with the remainder of it; and whether the Commissioners would purchase the entire estate, attach equitable portions to the holdings, and vest the remainder in the county or district council in trust for people within reach of it?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThis estate is being sold direct by the owner to the tenants under the Irish Land Act, 1909. As I have already informed the hon. Member the question of the provision of turbary for548W the tenants is engaging the attention of the Estates Commissioners, and the owner has consented to the allotment of turbary to tenants in need of it. The Commissioners are not prepared to purchase the estate, which, as already stated, is the subject of direct sale proceedings between the owner and the tenants under the Land Purchase Acts. At this stage of the proceedings they are not in a position to make any statement in reference to the other matters referred to in the question.
§ Mr. GINNELLasked whether any account is being kept of the process in progress in Ireland since 1903 of landlords, preparatory to sale of their estates, felling all the trees and planting none in their stead; and whether any measures are to be taken to check this destruction of shelter and ornament and promote the planting of trees?
§ Mr. BIRRELLAccounts of the acreage under woods and plantation are published from year to year in the agricultural statistics, but there is no power to interfere with the felling of timber on estates which are not the subject of proceedings for sale under the Land Purchase Acts. Where an advance has been made, or a purchase agreement entered into since the passing of the Act of 1909, the proprietor of the holding is prohibited by law from cutting timber necessary for the ornament or shelter of the holding without the consent of the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland.
§ Mr. O'DONNELLasked the Chief Secretary whether the Estates Commissioners have dealt with the case of Mrs. Burke, of Castlemaine, county Kerry, evicted tenant on the Godfrey estate; and will he explain what is the cause of the delay in making her a grant?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners inform me that Mrs. Burke purchased her holding as tenant in occupation in connection with the sale of this estate by the owner direct to the tenants under the Irish Land Act, 1903, and her holding was vested in her under that Act. The Commissioners have decided not to take any action in reference to her application for a grant.
§ Mr. GINNELLasked the Chief Secretary when the Congested Districts Board will carry out the sale and settlement of the Taaffe and Laven estate, of Fox-borough, alias Poleshannagh, Clooney- 549W guin, Elphin, county Roscommon, now managed for the Board by Mr. Timothy Rorke; and, seeing that all the tenanted holdings on the estate are uneconomic, whether they will be enlarged by the distribution of the untenanted grass farms on the estate?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Congested Districts Board made an offer for the purchase of the estate referred to in April last, but it has not yet been accepted.
§ Mr. SCANLANasked the Chief Secretary if the Congested Districts Board are negotiating with the proprietors of the Perceval estate, in the county Sligo, and what prospect there is of an immediate arrangement for purchase; and whether he is aware of the amount of the rents at present demanded from the tenants?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Congested Districts Board communicated with the agent regarding this property, but so far it has not been offered for sale through them. There is no prospect of an immediate sale, and the Board have no information regarding the rents at present demanded from the tenants.
§ Mr. SCANLANasked the Chief Secretary whether the Congested Districts Board have yet completed their negotiations with Sir Jocelyn Gore Booth for the purchase of his untenanted lands in county Sligo, including the Seven Cartrons portions of the property?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Congested Districts Board have not yet completed negotiations for the purchase of Sir Jocelyn Gore Booth's estate, comprising tenanted and untenanted lands in the county Sligo. The estate which is the subject of negotiations does not include the Seven Cartrons portion of the property, which the Board are informed is part of the owner's demesne, and which he does not intend to sell.
§ Mr. SCANLANasked the Chief Secretary whether the Congested Districts Board have received representations from the tenants of the Straford or Lewis estate, situate at Castleconnor, county' Sligo; and if he will state what steps the Board have taken to acquire this estate?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Congested Districts Board have received communications from the tenants asking them to purchase the estate referred to. Mr. O'Sullivan obtained the necessary forms on which to550W furnish particulars of the estate some time ago, but they have not yet been lodged with the Board.