Law and practice in respect to the occupation of land in Ireland: minutes of evidence: part II

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TO INQUIRE INTO THE OCCUPATION OF LAND IN IRELAND. 
919 I attribute it to the system of middlemen; they aro often more needy than the tenants 7 th September, 1844. 
themselves, ancl of course they cannot afford to make any consideration for the poverty of Z~rz 15. 
What is the general course pursued in re-letting lands, when the middleman's lease 

ev' " Su llvan* expires ?—We 
have very few, except under the college; there they have toties quoties leases. 
I think if they pay the fine, they got twenty-one years again. 
The others are under Lord Lansdowne, and the mode and principle of Lord Lansdowne is to turn out no tenant, but there is an increase at the expiration of the lease ; and hence, as I said before, the disinclination on the part of the people to take out a lease. 
16. 
With respect to the condition of the farming population, are the large farmers getting richer?—Wo 
have very few large farmers, what you would caU large farmers. 
The larger class of farmers are improving in this district, and I attribute it to the tempe¬ rance more than any thing else. 
17. 
Do you see a (similar improvement among the smaller class?—Yes 
; they are both improving. 
18. 
With respect to tho labourers ?—They 
are the most wretched people upon the face of the globe. 
I do not believe that any race on the face of the earth would suffer the privations they do under the farmers. 
There is a tenant who has five acres under Lord Lansdowne, and has it for 25s. 
a year; and notwithstanding that, he has been woriting for me at 8*2. 
a clay for the last five years, and that man's condition has been such, I have been obHged to send Mm potatoes when I heard he went to bed supperless, though he receives Ms 4s. 
a week every Saturday. 
Lord Lansdowne is blamed for the condition of a good many of these people, but how can he help it ? 
Another man would turn them aU off. 
There is another part of his estate where they are paying Mm as low as 10s. 
a year. 
Within the last week 1 mot thc son of the man I spoke just before of, HteraUy naked, and I brought Mm down into the town, and gave Mm a suit of corduroy, I was so distressed to gee him. 
19. 
What is the rate of wages, generally ?—Eightpence 
a day. 
20. 
Do they get much employment in the fishery ?—Yes; 
those immediately on the sea coast. 
They do not turn their attention much to fishing here, except at the dead season of the year, just now, from July until November. 
21. 
Have there been any agrarian outrages in tins district?—I 
am not aware of any. 
22. 
Do you find, in your experience, that a few instances of persons being removed who have executed improvements, creates a general distrust amongst others, and a disincHnation to make improvements ?—Decidedly; 
it remains in their minds for twenty years. 
Things that have occurred nine or ten years ago, wiH be given to you as a reply when upbraiding them for not hnproving then-farms. 
23. 
Has it ever occurred to you, that if there was any provision by law that a man should he aHowed for any improvements of a permanent nature, if he lost Ms land, that it would operate as an inducement to a man to make improvements ?—Yes, 
I have always considered so; but at the same time, I should not Hko to give a tenant the power to make a number of improvements at his own wiH and pleasure. 
24. 
Do you consider that the people would have industry and energy enough to exert themselves to make improvements, if they felt secure ?—I 
have not the sHghtest doubt that they would turn then-attention to thc miprovement of then-land. 
Another tMng is a great grievance, to say that they shaU be at the mercy of the landlord, if they disoblige the landlord or Ms friends. 
WitMn a few years, a gentleman chose to estabHsh an oyster Bed where he had no right, and because the people went to coHect the oysters, the land¬ lord threatened to distrain the cattle of the tenants, the landlord being a friend of Ms. 
I have heard so. 
Another tiling they complain of is, tho system about to be mtroduced, or threatened to be so, that of monthly payments. 
There is one proprietor, whose tenants, if they do not come the first Monday in the month to pay the^money to the driver, their cattle will be put mto the pound. 
25. 
Is that the property of a resident landlord ?—It 
is a property for wMch a gentleman near this town is agent. 
26. 
Does it apply to smaU tenants?—To 
tenants paymg £20 a year. 
The property See Mr. 
Taylor's belongs to a gentleman of the name of Duckett; Ms daughter is married to Dr. 
Taylor, the Statement, son of the agent. 
He thought Ms agent was not sufficiently attentive, and he appointed Appendix B, No.IQ6 
Hs son-in-law, Dr. 
Taylor. 
lie sought to estabHsh the same system of monthly payments; the tenants got yery much annoyed at it, and resisted or complamed very loudly of it— they complamed to Mr. 
Duckett, and Mr. 
Duckett compromised the business, by maMng it three months. 
They must pay every tMee months. 
A gentleman went to pay tMee months' rent to Dr. 
Taylor, the son, and when he arrived there he found he had forgotten Ms pocket-book—he apologised, and said he would return the next day; but the next moraing, before he was out of bed, Ms cows were put in the pound. 
He said to the driver, "u It is very hard; I am gomg to pay the rent this mormng." 
" Very weH/' said the driver, " that will do; " but when he went to pay it, the first tMng deducted was 2s. 
to pay the driver. 
27. 
Have you any suggestions you wish to lay before the commissioners ?—I 
woul4 ^ggest a long lease for the tenants, 

[The witness withdrew.]