972 EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE COMMISSIONERS APPOINTED llth Sept.,
1844.
48.
What becomes of them?—They
emigrate, or take some small tenement.
—-
'
49.
Has that dispossession been attended with any circumstances of oppression or hard-*J£6» ship ?
I think not.
There has been no agrarian outrage since 1832.
M.
Alcock, esq.
^ jn your opinion, have those dispossessions been necessary with a view to the formation
of a solvent tenantry ?—I
have no doubt that they were necessary, and they were not carried on with any degree of harshness.
51.
To what siz'e havo the farms been raised from which the people were removed?
To about from forty to 100 acres.
52.
Can you say what sized farms they held, the parties who were removed ?—Some
not five acres, or three acres—from fivo to twenty, or upwards.
53.
Does the subletting or subdividing of farms still continue ?—It
is not carried on now to any extent, and if there should be any thing of the kind, it is a division among the children.
Some poor tenants might let off a portion to get a sum of money, if permitted by the landlord, but the landlord does not permit it.
There are cases where it cannot be prevented, where • there have been existing leases, and subletting clauses have not been inserted in the leases.
54.
With respect to the condition of the farming population, do you think the Iaro-e farmers are getting richer?—Yes,
I do ; but if they had capital they would be a great deal better off.
With respect to that part of the union I am more particularly acquainted with, the barony of Kinalmeaky, the tenantry are generally comfortable, extremely well con¬ ducted, and industrious.
A spirit of improvement is daily manifesting itself in their habits, tenements, management of their stock, mode of farming and manuring their farms, and a great anxiety to educate their children.
55.
Are tbe smaU tenants getting richer ?—They
certainly are getting more comfortable, because they are laying out more manure; but both classes labour under a great disadvantage from want of capital.
They are obliged to throw the whole of their corn crop into the market: the landlord is so needy he must havo Ms rent.
56.
Are the labourers improving ?—The
labourers are a wretched class.
Perhaps the commissioners may not be aware of tho system upon which they are paid here.
Labourers, with large famiHes of six, seven, or more young children, are very badly off, and not able to support them.
A man and his wife may do very well, if healthy, tiU their family increases, as their wants are few and simple ; and also afterwards, when the sons are grown up, and able to support them.
Early marriages are made with the hope of support from their children in old ago.
Farm labourers hold their cottages from the farmer ; they are wn-etched hovels, usually consisting of one room, sometimes divided by a stone or mud wall, and badly thatched, but they are satisfied if thoy are rain proof, and do not smoke.
The wages are 4d.
per day, with food at two meals, breakfast ancl dinner, with certain privileges,—the con-acre garden, £6 per aero; the grass of two sheep, 85.
per year each; house-rent, with clay sufficient to manure half or three-quarters of an acre of potato garden, with the muck of some of the cattle ; ferns or rushes on the land, and sometimes lime to mix with it, to be put in and out by the farmer, 30s.
a year ; and horses to draw turf or other fuel; and the run of a pig.
Though they seldom get any money, they prefer the privileges, if the potato garden proves good, to double hire without food and privileges.
57.
Is the £6 an acre charged for unmanured land ?—No,
it is manured by the farmer.
Then they have three-quarters more, which they manure by themselves, by the manure put into the yard by the farmer ; they make it into manure by mixing it with the muck of cattle, and they have the land free for that.
But some of the lower farmers treat their labourers very harshly,—they do not keep the roof of the house dry ; they will not put in the clay in proper time to make manure, and they will not put it out till it is too late for the crop; and the labourers suffer generally great want at certain periods of the year, that is, during the time between the consumption of the old crop and the coming-in of the new crop, and the Poor Law Act does not give them proper relief.
58.
How do they supply themselves with food ?—They
must beg ; they cannot he taken into the poor-house : the labourer is bound to the farmer by the year, and the family wiU not be taken in unless the father goes with them.
59.
In point of fact, do the families of the labouring classes exist, during that time, by begging ?—In
point of fact they do; they have no other resource.
60.
Have any of them made application for admission to the poor-house ?—Yes,
several have made application for admission to the poor-house ; but if is a fixed rule not to admit any family into the poor-house without the father of the family goes with them, and the conse¬ quence is, it throws the family upon begging.
61.
Have any fathers of families made application for admission?—No,
except in the neighbourhood of towns, and very seldom in that case.
62.
Are there fees paid usually on enforcing rent, or granting leases, in the district?—-I
am not sufficiently acquainted with the conduct of agents to answer that, but the impression on my mind is, that there aro not fees on taking farms.
63.
What proportion does the county cess bear to the rent in this district, or to the usual letting value ?—The
county cess is mostly struck according to the baronial valuation, and it is a poundage on that valuation.
64.
To what amount does it generally come ?—About
Is.
6d.
a year in the northern part of the union, in the barony of Kinalmeaky.
It must vary according to the amount of work to be done in the county or barony.
65.
What means are taken for making known the amount to be levied ?—The
means are prescribed by the act of the 6th and 7th Wm.
IV.
After the high constable gets his warrant
