§ Mr. NEWMANasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can state, approximately, the total payments to the National Insurance Fund to date, 15th instant, made by employed persons and employers; whether the sum thus realised is being from time to time employed by the Government broker in the purchase of consolidated or other stock; and whether any moneys so realised will be available for the expediting of land purchase in Ireland?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThe amounts received into the National Health Insurance Funds in the period from the commencement of the sale of Health Insurance stamps to the 15th instant are:—
and the respective amounts which have been paid over to the National Debt Commissioners under Section 54 (3) of the Act for investment up to the same date, are:—
England … … … £4,949,760 Scotland … … … 656,561 Ireland … … … 234,199 Wales … … … 309,051 These sums are being invested in the securities specified in that Sub-section. When the transactions of the year are 834W completed, an account will be presented to Parliament under Sub-section (6) of Section 54. The answer to the last question is in the affirmative.
England … … … £3,950,000 Scotland … … … 625,000 Ireland … … … 200,500 Wales … … … 270,970
§ Mr. JAMES O'KELLYasked the Chief Secretary whether the Congested Districts Board is aware that proceedings for the sale direct to the tenants of Mr. Maurice M'Causland, whose property is situated near Strokestown, in the county Roscommon, have been before the Estates Commissioners, and that the agreements included one signed by Mrs. Walpole in respect of an extensive ranch much needed for the relief of congestion in that locality; and, if so, what action the Board has taken in the matter?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Congested Districts Board are aware of the proceedings mentioned, and they have decided to negotiate for the purchase of Mrs. Walpole's farm.
§ Mr. SHEEHANasked the Chief Secretary whether the electoral division of Slievereagh, in the rural district of Macroom, was at any time a congested district; and, if so, what then constituted the qualification of a congested area; has there been any change in qualification by the Land Purchase Act of 1909; can he state the conditions under which the house improvement loans of £50 are granted by the Congested Districts Board; and whether he will consider the advisability of granting these loans to small holders in all areas scheduled as congested prior to the passing of the Act of 1909?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe electoral division of Slievereagh in the rural district of Macroom formed part of the original congested districts scheduled under the provisions of Section 36 of the Purchase of Land (Ireland) Act, 1891, but was excluded from the congested area by Section 46 of the Irish Land Act, 1909. The Congested Districts Board have no power to make loans to landholders outside the present congested districts.
§ Mr. O'SHAUGHNESSYasked when the Estates Commissioners intend to apportion the untenanted lands at Ballynort, Askeaton, in the county of Limerick, on the O'Grady property, amongst the deserving applicants in the district?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to his question on this subject on 24th October, to which I have nothing to add at present.
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§ Mr. JAMES O'KELLYasked whether, owing to defects in the Land Acts, 1903 and 1909, the Estates Commissioners for Ireland find themselves unable to complete the sale of towns on estates which are being sold, as disclosed in the sale of Strokestown, county Roscommon; and will the Government remedy the defects in the law, and enable the Commissioners to carry out such sales and declare the occupiers of holdings the purchasers on reasonable terms?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI understand that in the case of Strokestown the failure to carry out the sale of the town holdings is in most instances due to the want of agreement between the parties as regards the terms of sale, and in other instances, where agreements have been entered into, to the failure of the sub-tenants to lodge in cash the difference between the agreed prices and the amount of the advance to be made by the Estates Commissioners. I am not aware of any necessity for the amendment of the law in the direction indicated in the question.
§ Mr. NEWMANasked what has been the amount of cash available for land purchase in each of the years from 1903?
§ Mr. BIRRELLCash for sales under the Land Purchase Acts is provided as required by the Land Commission, and estates are dealt with in their order of priority prescribed by the Regulations made under those Acts. The advances in each year since the commencement of the Irish Land Act, 1903, have been as follows:—
Period from 1st November,
Up to and including 1909–10 the advances were made in cash, save as regards £180 in 1909–10, which was advanced in 3 per Cent. Stock under Act of 1909. In 1910–11 and 1911–12 a number of vendors in pending sales under the Act of 1903, having elected, under the powers given them by the Act of 1909, to accept payment either wholly or partly in 2¾ per Cent. Stock, with the view of expediting payment of the purchase 836W money of their estates, the advances were as follows:—In 1910–11, £3,268,605 in all cash; £2,723,205 in half cash, half stock (2¾ per cent.); £946,158 in 2¾ per Cent. Stock, and £406,984 in 3 per Cent. Stock; in 1911–12, £2,389,101 in all cash; £2,813,192 in half cash, half stock (2¾ per cent.); £1,212,769 in 2¾ per Cent. Stock, and £1,065,858 in 3 per Cent. Stock. In addition, the following sums were paid in each year in respect of the bonus percentage, which is payable in cash:—
1903, to 31st March, 1905 … £5,099,871 Financial year 1905–6 … 5,516,580 Financial year 1906–7 … 5,941,348 Financial year 1907–8 … 5,166,904 Financial year 1908–9 … 6,562,551 Financial year 1909–10 … 7,062,082 Financial year 1910–11 … 7,344,952 Financial year 1911–12 … 7,980,920
Period from 1st November, 1903, to 31st March, 1905 … £382,349 Financial year 1905–6 … 540,216 Financial year 1906–7 … 672,021 Financial year 1907–8 … 547,338 Financial year 1908–9 … 686,887 Financial year 1909–10 … 734,128 Financial year 1910–11 … 506,610 Financial year 1911–12 … 867,940
§ Mr. SAMUEL YOUNGasked the Chief Secretary whether it is the intention of the Commissioners who have lately acquired the estate of H. F. Sanky-Billis, near Virginia, to apportion the land thus acquired among the small uneconomic holdings, which are very numerous in the district?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Sanky estate, situate at Billis, Virginia, county Cavan, has not been acquired by the Estates Commissioners. It is the subject of proceedings for sale direct by the owner to the tenants under the Land Purchase Acts, and there is no untenanted land included in the proceedings for sale.
§ Sir THOMAS ESMONDEasked the Chief Secretary if he is aware that Mrs. Catherine M'Donald, widow of an evicted tenant on the Fenton estate, county Wexford, has been several times promised a holding by the Estates Commissioners' inspector; and when this promise will be fulfilled?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe holding on the Martin estate, at one time occupied by Mrs. M'Donald late husband, has been vested in the present occupier under the Land Purchase Acts, and the Estates Commissioners have no power to interfere with him. The granting of holdings to evicted tenants is a matter entirely within the discretion of the Commissioners, whose inspectors have no power to make promises in the matter unless authorised by them. If untenanted land in the locality is 837W acquired by the Commissioners, Mrs. M'Donald's application will be considered.
§ Mr. DORISasked the Chief Secretary when the Blosse estate, county Mayo, was acquired by the Congested Districts Board; whether three occupiers of uneconomic holdings on the estate, namely, James Commins, Martin King, and Pat Finn, have since made several applications to the Board for enlargements of their holdings at Carrahan, Balla, or for new holdings in lieu of them; and can he state why nothing has yet been done to relieve these congests whilst all their neighbours in similar circumstances were granted enlargements over two years ago?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe offer of the Congested Districts Board for the purchase of the estate referred to was accepted on the 31st October, 1908. The Board have not up to the present been able to enlarge the holdings mentioned as legal proceedings to acquire an adjoining grass farm for that purpose are still pending. If the Board find that they cannot acquire this farm the tenants will, if possible, be provided with additional land elsewhere.
§ Mr. O'SHAUGHNESSYasked the Chief Secretary what is the cause of delay on the part of the Estates Commissioners in carrying out the sale of the Mahoney estate at Mount Collins, Abbeyfeale, in the county of Limerick; whether he is aware that it is a considerable number of years since the tenants signed the agreements to purchase their holdings; and will he ask the Estates Commissioners to complete the sale without further delay?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe holdings on this estate are intermixed, and the Estates Commissioners propose to carry out a scheme of rearrangement, and to facilitate this they have under consideration the acquisition of additional land in the neighbourhood, which up to the present they have not been able to acquire.
§ Mr. O'SHAUGHNESSYasked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that the tenants on the estate of Lane Joynt, at Aughanish, in the county of Limerick, have agreed with their landlord to purchase their holdings, and have also agreed with him with regard to the upkeep of the embankments on the estate; and, having regard to this fact, will he ask the Estates Commissioners to complete the sale of this estate without delay, since the restoration of three evicted tenants to their holdings on the estate depends on its completion?
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§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners are informed that the owner and tenants have recently come to an arrangement as to the upkeep of the embankments on the estate, and the Commissioners will deal with the estate when it is reached in order of priority during the coming financial year.
§ Mr. PATRICK WHITEasked the Chief Secretary how many inspections were made of the untenanted land of the Marchioness of Winchester, situate at Kilbarry, county Meath; whether, as a result of the second inspection, and increase was made in the original offer for the lands; if so, will he state how much and what annuity per acre the increased offer would enable the Commissioners to let the land; and whether, having regard to the owner's desire to sell and the necessity of the surrounding occupiers to enlarge their holdings, it would be within the powers of the Commissioners to accept a lump sum from each intending occupier to enable them to effect a purchase from the vendor?
§ Mr. BIRRELLAs the hon. Member has already been informed, the owner was not willing to accept the Estates Commissioners' estimated price for these lands, and proceedings have not been instituted for their sale. It would be contrary to the Commissioners' practice to give the detailed particulars asked for by the hon. Member, and the case is not one in which the suggestion in the last paragraph of the question could be adopted.
§ Mr. PATRICK WHITEasked the Chief Secretary whether the Marchioness of Winchester, who is the owner of a ranch at Kilbarry, county Meath, is an applicant for an advance to purchase a holding on the estate of Dominick More O'Farrell, in the immediate vicinity of her own untenanted land; and whether, before sanctioning any advance, they will consider the advisability of acquiring by negotiation the two pieces of her land for much-needed distribution between deserving local applicants?
§ Mr. BIRRELLNo application for an advance has been made in respect of the holding on the More O'Farrell estate, which is leased to the Marchioness of Winchester. If an agreement is lodged the Estates Commissioners will consider the question of sanctioning any advance applied for.