asked the Minister for Agriculture for information as to the working of the Land Act, 1923, with such particulars as are available as regards the collection of compounded arrears of rent.
PRIVATE QUESTION. - WORKING OF THE LAND ACT.
Mr. HOGAN
Immediately on the passing of the Land Act Notices were published in the public Press that the Land Commission was empowered to collect from tenants "compounded arrears of rent" and "payment in lieu of rent," and landlords, agents and receivers were therein notified that they should apply to the Land Commission for forms on which to furnish particulars to enable such arrears and payment in lieu of rent to be collected. A Notice was at the same time published explaining to tenants their position as regards the payment of compounded arrears of rent.
Provisional rules as to the collection of arrears and payment in lieu of rent and as regards the procedure to be followed under the Act have also been published.
Up to the present the Land Commission have been furnished with particulars on the prescribed forms of the arrears of rent due by some 81,000 tenants on 4,400 estates. The amount of compounded arrears payable by each tenant has been calculated, and so far some 54,000 receivable orders have been prepared and issued to the tenants on approximately 3,500 of these estates to enable them to pay the first instalment of their compounded arrears. Receivable orders in the remaining cases are being prepared and issued as rapidly as possible. Up to date the sum of £135,000 has been lodged by the tenants to whom receivable orders have been issued, and arrangements are being made to pay it out to the parties entitled.
As little more than a month has elapsed since the first of the receivable orders for the payment of arrears was issued, the collection to date must be regarded as highly satisfactory, and the Land Commission anticipate that the collection of compounded arrears generally will be equally satisfactory.
The instalments for the payment in lieu of rent are also being calculated and the receivable orders prepared, and already a number of them have been issued to the tenants.
In addition, landlords have been furnished with the prescribed forms to enable them to furnish the particulars required for the ascertainment of the lands to be vested in the Land Commission, and already these particulars have been furnished in several estates and they will be surveyed as soon as possible.