§ Mr. FLAVINasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if the Estates Commissioners have bought the Sands, at Loughanes, Liselton, North Kerry; whether he is aware that Michael Hennessy, a tenant on the estate, is willing to purchase; and whether he is included as a tenant purchaser in the sale of the Sands estate?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe reply to the first part of the question is in the negative. The estate in question is the subject of2368W proceedings in the Land Judge's Court, under Section 40 of the Purchase of Land (Ireland) Act, 1896, and an offer made by Michael Hennessy for the purchase of his holding has been submitted for consideration by the solicitor having charge of the proceedings.
§ Mr. FLAVINasked the Chief Secretary whether the Kerry County Council, at their meeting on 18th February, 1915, unanimously passed a resolution asking the Estates Commissioners to evict tenant purchasers who refused to pay their annuities and to divide their lands amongst the uneconomic holders and labourers of the district; and what action will be taken in the matter?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. In cases of default the Irish Land Commission are bound to sell the holding to the best advantage of the annuitant and of his creditors, who are entitled to any excess of sale moneys over and above the debt due to the Commissioners, and it is accordingly their practice to offer the holding in one lot for sale by public auction. If, however, the holding is unsold, the Commissioners are always prepared to sell it in suitable lots so long as it is capable of sub-division and the security for the annuity is not thereby impaired. I am informed that there is at present only one defaulter's holding in county Kerry which is on the Commissioners' hands owing to failure to sell, and in this case the Commissioners have already informed the county council of their willingness to subdivide the holding among the adjacent tenant purchasers, the existing annuity being apportioned between them.
§ Mr. FLAVINasked the Chief Secretary if he will ask the Estates Commissioners to have an inspector sent on the farm of Maurice J. Gunn, Lyre, Liselton, North Kerry, son of the late John Gunn, an evicted tenant, on the C. P. Dennis estate, with the object of reporting favourably for a grant for the farm of land in Ballingown, on which there is neither house nor cattle?
§ Mr. BIRRELLAn application for assistance from Maurice J. Gunn was considered by the Estates Commissioners when dealing with the C. P. Dennis estate, but they decided that it could not be granted, and they are not prepared to depart from the decision then reached.
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§ Mr. LUNDONasked the Chief Secretary whether vesting orders have yet been issued on the Ponsonby estate, at Patrickswell, county Limerick; and, if not, will steps be taken to see that the Kiltemplin bog, which has been for a century used by the tenants on the estate, will not now be confiscated and handed over to the land agent for shooting purposes; and, in order to avoid trouble, will the sale be abandoned should this bog be withheld from those who are morally and legally entitled to it?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe reply to the first part of the question is in the negative. The question of the allocation of the bog referred to will be fully considered by the Estates Commissioners when this estate comes to be dealt with in its order of priority.
§ Mr. LUNDONasked the Chief Secretary when the purchase agreements on the Hunt estate, at Greenhills, Crecora, county Limerick, were lodged; whether estates purchased two years after the Hunt estate have had their vesting orders issued; what is the cause of the delay in this case; and, in view of the hardships which tenants who are paying a high rate of interest pending the completion of sale are suffering, will steps be taken to push this sale through as soon as possible?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe purchase agreements in respect of the estate referred to were lodged in December, 1906. The Commissioners are, however, not prepared to advance the full purchase money and cannot proceed further in the matter unless and until the question of the lodgment of the difference between the purchase money agreed on between the parties and the sum the Commissioners are prepared to advance has been arranged between the parties.
§ Mr. LUNDONasked the Chief Secretary how much money has been advanced for land purchase in the county of Limerick under the various Land Purchase Acts; what is the total amount of annuity collected each year by the Land Commission; and what is the total sum which has been deducted from the guarantee fund on the 1st of February of each year since 1903 to meet defaulters, and the sum afterwards collected and put to the credit of the county council.
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe answer to the first part of the question is £5,060,000, and to2370W the second £158,717, this latter sum representing the amount of annuity at present collectible. The total amount of the annual deductions from the Guarantee Fund for the county since 1903 in respect of arrears of annuity is £83,879, and the amount of arrears recovered and repaid to the Guar-The net draft upon the Guarantee Fund in respect of arrears at the last annual antee Fund in the same period is £77,397, making up of the account was £6,750, made up of the difference between the two last mentioned amounts plus a sum of £268, being the amount of the net draft on the Guarantee Fund prior to 1903. Of this amount, £5,717 has since been recovered and credited to the Guarantee Fund for the county, leaving arrears to the amount of £1,033 only still outstanding.
§ Mr. SCANLANasked the Chief Secretary when the Congested Districts Board purpose to divide the Parke Doonally estate, Sligo, for the relief of congestion in the neighbouring districts?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Congested Districts Board are at present carrying out improvement works on this estate preparatory to its resale, but they are not in a position at present to say when the vesting in the tenants will take place.
§ Mr. DANIEL BOYLEasked what was the date of the purchase by the Congested Districts Board of the General Clive estate at Ballycroy; when the estate was vested in the Congested Districts Board; what was the purchase price, and when do the Board purpose to parcel out this estate for the relief of congestion; and whether, in view of the insanitary state of the houses of the tenants, the Board will take steps to build suitable houses and improve the condition of the tenants?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Congested Districts Board's offer for this estate was accepted on the 20th August last, the purchase price being £14,145. The estate has not yet been vested in the Board, who are thus not in a position to carry out the rearrangement of the lands with a view to their resale to the tenants. When the vesting in the tenants has taken place assistance will be offered them for the purpose of building or improving their houses in accordance with the Board's general house improvement scheme.