174 PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND. 



Prince Edward Island, considering its interests, not 

 identical with Canada proper, for a long time held aloof 

 from confederation. Finally it was won over by bribes, 

 one of which was a sum of $800,000 to buy out the claims 

 of the proprietors. A compulsory Act was then passed 

 by the local government, and approved by the Dominion, 

 providing for the purchase of land from proprietors, and 

 appointing a commission to value the claims and assess 

 payments. The commission consisted of three members, 

 one appointed by the local government, another by the 

 proprietors, and the third by the Governor-General of 

 Canada. Lord Duiferin appointed Mr. Childers, who, as 

 holding the balance between two contending parties, has 

 been virtually the arbitrator. The proprietors got from 

 4s. an acre in some cases, up to nearly II. in others. The 

 principle that seems to have guided the commission in 

 their decisions, appears to have been to capitalize the net 

 profits of landlords (excluding arrears of rent and deduct- 

 ing expenses of collecting and management), giving them 

 each a lump sum which, at 6 per cent, (interest of 

 Canadian bonds), will be equivalent to their old net 

 income. 



The worst feature of these sweeping land measures is 

 that they hold out a premium to the hard and grasping 

 landlord, while they are hard upon the indulgent and easy- 

 going one. The amount of the paid-up rent was the basis 

 of the final settlement, not the actuaj. value of the land. 

 An injustice has been done in this case to one or two kind 

 and indulgent proprietors who did not screw up their 

 rents to the highest pitch. Every arbitrary law that 

 interferes with the rights of property and forces one 



