TO INQUIRE INTO THE OCCUPATION OF LAND IN IRELAND.
921 8.
Is there any suggestion you wish to make to the commissioners?—Nothing
would do 1th September, 1844, so much good as a loan to assist in draining the barren lands, and for the landlords to reside at home.
»«-9.
How soon do you think a man who got a loan this year to drain a particular field Jermyn.
would be able to begin repaying it ?—In
about seven years; it would not bring him a return of any consequence before that.
10.
When would a drained^ field pay a man for his labour in draining it ?—About
three crops would pay a man; tho first crop will not pay him, certainly.
But the people arc very poor, and have not capital enough.
[The ivitness withdrew?]
Mr.
Augustus Mabery, sworn and examined.
697.
1.
Where do you reside ?—Gurtagap,
on the college estate.
Mr.
Aug.
Mabery.
2.
How many acres do you hold ?—1
believe about 100 acres.
3.
Do you hold direct under the college ?—No,
not immediately under the college.
There is a middleman, Mr.
Orpen, of Dublin, between.
4.
Do you hold by lease?—By
deed executed in 1788, under the toties quoties clause.
5.
Do you hold land under any other landlord ?—Yes,
I do, under the Marquess of Lansdowne, and under Mr.
Duckett, of Dublin.
6.
Do you find any difference between the condition of the tenants on the estates of absentee or resident proprietors in the district ?—I
tMnk there is a difference.
I think if Lord Lansdowne resided in Ireland, they would be greatly better off.
7.
Is there any difference in the time or manner of collecting the rent upon the diffe¬ rent estates ?—Yes,
there is.
Mr.
Orpen formerly had an agent who was very strict and yery severe, and injured the tenants materially.
lie put Mm out of the place, and appointed a lady agent to him, and we are very well off now.
8.
Is it the practice to demand the rent oftener than once in the half-year ?—Yes,
on one property.
The land is held under Mr.
Duckott.
Mr.
Taylor is the agent, and the rent See Mr.
Taylor's he demands quarterly.
He first tried to get it monthly.
The tenants complained of it, and Statement, said they could not pay it; but they wero contented to have it quarterly.
Now they cannot AppendixB,No.lQ6
pay it quarterly, ancl they have got more indulgence ; ancl there is more than half a year's rent due.
^ 9.
Are they tenaiits-at-will ?—Yes;
they are all tenants-at-wiU in that case.
10.
If the rent was not paid was distress made ?—Yes,
immediately; and they had no moans of getting the cattlo out without payment in fuU, unless appHcation was made to Mr.
Duckett, who immediately gave them time.
11.
Do tho tenants upon the estate hold by any written agreement?—No;
by parol upon Mr.
Duckett's property.
12.
Do you know what was the cause of the introduction of these monthly or quarterly payments ?—I
do not well know.
It was a system that Mr.
Taylor got into, and his son wanted to follow it up.
I believe ho continued receiving monthly payments.
I beHeve Dr.
Taylor keeps it on still.
I believe so.
He is son-in-law to Mr.
Duckett.
He did not require the rent for the last six months.
Previously ho demanded it in the most strict manner; but whenever any application was made to Mr.
Duckett he immediately releases their cattle.
(13.
Aro receipts of rent usually given on account, or for a particular gale ?—Dr.
Taylor gives no receipt at all, only that he got so much money, and he puts his initial to it.
14.
Is that in a pass-book ?—No,
a small bit of paper.
Ho is a man that will Hsten to nothing.
Ho will listen to no reason upon that subject.
15.
Does he reside upon thc spot ?—He
resides in Dunkorrin, two miles from this town.
16.
Do the tenants generally hold from year to year, or by lease ?—From
year to year upon tMs farm, and mostly aU over the country.
17.
Is there any anxiety for leases shown by tho tenants?—They
seem satisfied with Lord Lansdowne.
They soom to consider they have their farms for ever, in Hving under •his lordship.
Thoy scorn to think so; but some persons would prefer getting a lease—I hnovv they would.
The lands I hold from the Marquess under lease, I have had for forty years.
18.
Does the sale of good-will of farms prevail generally over the district ?—Yes,
it does upon the Marquess's property.
Some persons seH off and go to America, ancl many of them stop at home and sell off.
19.
What is tho usual price ?—It
seUs for more than the value, and the reason is because they consider they have a lease for ever on the Marquess's land.
There is a great popu¬ lation on it, and he has given encouragement by letting little lots of land.
He aHows the tenants to buUd on their Httle lots of land, and allows them £6 for building, and gives timber; ancl he will then allow the money in rent until it is discharged.
Where these houses are built, most commonly thc land was never of any value to tho Marquess.
It was part of the mountain and of no value.
Now the value is enhanced by having these houses, a"d at the end of twenty year,?
he will have a rise of rent.
.
20.
Are the larger farmers getting richer in the world ?-~No.
I do not think any man a the country is getting richer, except those who make a little money up and down the country, and give it out upon usury, twenty and twenty-five per cent.
21.
What is thc condition of the bbouring clasa?—They
are poor.
Their hire is very low; they get 8d, a clay, 22, Can they get regular employment at that rate ?-—No
j with a few exceptions, they
Fatw II, 6 B
