CHAPTER XXXII. 



HIRING AND BUYING FARMS. 



A FEW hints on the hiring and buying of farms will be 

 found useful, especially as regards hiring, which up till 

 lately was generally done without any written contract ; 

 or when there was one it was often so vague that mis- 

 understandings between the contracting parties was 

 generally the result. 



The first point upon which landlord and tenant 

 generally differ is as regards who should pay the taxes 

 on the farm, and as these are a considerable item, it 

 should be the first question asked after the rent is 

 named. The taxes consist of: — 1st, Quit rent; 2nd, 

 House Duty ; 3rd, Divisional Road Rates ; 4th, Divi- 

 sional Police Rates. The first is generally about £4 

 per annum, but if it is a farm that has been lately 

 purchased from Government, as explained in the chapter 

 on the Land Laws, it may be a hundred or more ; but this 

 will, of course, have been ascertained. The second is on 

 a sliding scale, according to the value of the house : on 

 every hut or dwelling not over £100 in value, 10s. ; 

 not exceeding £500 in value, £1 ; not exceeding £750, 



