gift EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE COMMISSIONERS APPOINTED 7th September, 1844.
Mr.
William Jermyn, sworn and examined.
JZ~1 1.
Where do you reside?—At
Scarf, near Westcove, in the county of Kerry Mr Wif Jerm n
2-ArG J0U a farmer ?—Yes"
ermyn.
^ .^^
quantity of land do you occupy ?—xibout
forty acres, wMch I hold under Mr Bland.
Tho district with which I am acquainted comprehends about forty square mile
'
The country is wild, and in a great measure uncultivated; it is thinly inhabited, exceot along by the sea shore.
It affords opportunities for extensive and ultimately very renin, iterative improvements.
The state of agriculture is rapidly improving by drainincr ^A.
cultivation.
The manures most commonly used are sea-weed ancl sand on the sea coast and dung and sand in the interior; lime is not used, and the burning of land is not much adopted.
There are no farming societies, or agricultural schools, in the district.
There aro no farms exclusively in tillage.
They graze ancl till on all the farms, which vary in size, and are cultivated with the spade.
There is no grain crop but oats.
No artificial grasses are used, and there is no house-feeding.
No additional demand for labour has arisen from tho improvement which has taken place in agriculture; there bemg no farms exclusively in grazing, of course they have had no effect upon the demand for labour.
The term rundalo is unknown in tMs district, and no farms are held in common.
The rent is fixed by proposal and by valuation; it is a gross sum.
The agent and Ms assistants are the parties usually employed in valmng land.
The rent is generaUy regulated by the quantity of stock the farm rears.
The land lets Mgher along the sea-shore than in the interior.
The poor law valuation was principally regulated by the rent.
4.
What difference is there between the letting value ancl the poor law valuation?
They take off about one-fourth from the rent—that was off the poor wet lands.
5.
Are receipts for rent usually required ?—Never
among us.
The tenantry never ask for them.
They have generally pass-books, wMch do as well.
6.
Does the agent sign the pass-book ?—Yes;
he makes the entry in the book, and they take it home with them.
The rent is generally demanded about six months after it becomes due : it is not paid by biU.
There arc neither loan funds nor local usurers in the district.
The usual mode of recovering rent from defaulting tenants is by distraint.
Arrears of long standing arc not held over against the tenants.
The tenants hold imme¬ diately under the proprietor, in almost every instance.
The tenure is almost mvariably at * wiU, and the term is regulated by good conduct.
No tenant is disturbed except for
misconduct.
Tho mode of tenure is no check to improvement, the tenants having full confidence in their landlord.
Thc district with which I am acquainted belongs to one proprietor, who affords every facdity for improvement.
The tenants-at-wiH seem to be in a better condition, and more inclined to make improvements, than the few old lease-owners remaining on the estate.
7.
What does the landlord do to assist the tenants?—He
buUds houses and makes roads for them, ancl helps them to drain the land.
Permanent improvements are principally effected by the landlord.
Tho tenant derives the advantage in the first mstance, and ultimately tho landlord is benefited by tho improved condition of the lands and the tenantry.
Tho effect of the improvements is to givo employment to many, and it affords tho labourers an opportunity of earning a portion of thoir rent.
The improvements may be carried out to a very groat and beneficial extent.
The tenant-right or sale of good-will prevails in some cases, and where it does prevail the purchase-money is always paid to the tenant.
The effect is not good, but still the landlord aUows it, not wisMng to deprive the out-going tenant of the benefit of his improvements.
Tho price of the tenant-right varies, but thc practice is confined to small holdings; in some instances I have known the purchase to go as high as three years' rent: the value is increasing, but is not affected by the tenure.
No consolidation of farms has taken place in the district of wMch I speak, nor has there been any subletting of farms, but subdividing is practised by the tenantry, and it is caused by giving portions of the land as provisions to their children; the landlord endeavours to prevent it, but cannot.
The effect of it is to bring in no capital, but it increases the population.
There bas been no new letting to sub-tenants.
With respect to the farming population, the tenantry in general are comfortable.
The labourers Hve on the sea shore, and have the advantage of fishing.
The condition of the farmers is improvmg with the improvement of tho land, but there is not capital sufficient; no supply is obtained from the loan funds.
The rent is higher on the small tenantry than on the large farmers.
Rent is paid partly in cash and partly by allowance for improvements.
Upon the death of their parents, sometimes tho children get married, and some of them go to service.
Die labourers in the district of which I speak hold uncler the head landlord, and the houses are built, and in most cases repaired, by the landlord.
Land is always given with the cotta^"j and the con-acre system does not prevail.
Employment is given by the landlord andti gentry resident in thc country.
The rate of wages is 8d.
per day.
No agrarian outrages have taken place : the country'has always been perfectly peaceable.
The duties of the age consist in coUecting tbe rents, valuing the land, marking out boundaries, sites for bouses, and settling differences between the tenantry.
A small fee is paid to the driver on enterc, & rent, but no other fee is paid.
There is 'no particular season for entering upon ian With respect f o the charges on thc land, I would slate, that the county cess i* veiy ime^ ^ and is not apjdotted according to thc rent; it Is applotted by the gneeve, wtocn
^ indefinite portion of land, and the amount is made public by the applotment.
ine levied at the approach of each assizes.
No poor rate has been levied here yet.
J-fle charge is very low, and is not felt by the tenantry: in some instances it is mergea rent, and in other cases it is forgiven.
