§ Mr. GILHOOLYasked whether Denis Sullivan purchased a farm on the Travers estate, Ardmore, Timoleague, county Cork, in 1913, and went into possession in 1914; whether the purchase money was £484 and a free grant of £50 towards building a house and farm implements, and that the said £50 was added to purchase money and interest charged on it; and whether a refund would be made and in future no interest charged on the £50 referred to?
Mr. SAMUELThe hon. Member appears to have been misinformed in this case. The facts are as follows: In the year 1913 the Estates Commissioners allotted a farm on the Travers estate to Denis Sullivan, an evicted tenant, on his signing an undertaking to purchase it for a sum of £729 to be repaid by a land purchase annuity of £25 10s. 4d., and he further agreed in his undertaking to pay interest at 3½ per cent. on this purchase-money pending the vesting of the lands in him. A sum of £185 was sanctioned for buildings, and pending its expenditure he was required to pay interest on £544 only. The expenditure has been completed, and the holding will be vested as soon as practicable, whereupon the annuity of £25 10s. 4d. will become payable. A free grant was not given for buildings, but one of £80 was expended for the purchase of live stock.