asked the Minister for Lands and Fisheries whether any deductions have been made from the Agricultural Grant for the arrears of land annuities in respect of which the year's moratorium has been announced; and, if so, what is the amount of the total deductions for each county.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Agricultural Grant and Arrears of Land Annuities.
A deduction in respect of the unpaid instalments of Land Purchase Annuities is made each year from the Agricultural Grant through the Guarantee Fund. The net aggregate amount so deducted for all years to 31st January, 1932, was £721,258. Of this sum £300,900 approximately has been collected and repaid to the Guarantee Fund.
As the accounts of the Land Commission will not fall to be made up until the 31st instant, it is not possible for me to give now details as to the total of the arrears concerned in respect of each county. I will let the Deputy have those particulars as soon as they are made out.
Am I to understand that the moratorium that has been granted is in respect of arrears of land annuities that have already been recouped to the Treasury out of the Agricultural Grant? Is the moratorium at the expense of the Agricultural Grant?
No; that is not so. The moratorium is in respect of arrears that accumulated up to November last.
And they have been recouped to the Treasury out of the Agricultural Grant, or they will be recouped?
They will be recouped as the arrears come in.
Recouped to the Treasury? Will the Treasury stop that out of the Agricultural Grant?
They have done that already.
Yes, they have.
So that the Agricultural Grant must wait until the end of the moratorium to recoup them.
We might have to wait for ever.
In what cases?
That is very wide.
As no legal proceedings are to be taken until the 1st May, 1933, does the Minister expect anybody to pay before the 1st May, 1933?
The whole question of the moratorium has been paid out of the Agricultural Grant—it is the Agricultural Grant that provides the money.
It is.