130 A LIFE'S WORK IN IRELAND. 



at the cost of honest men. That because a man hires 

 a farm, large or small, yearly or for a fixed number of 

 years, on quite definite terms, the agreement being 

 often in writing, he thereby becomes entitled to large 

 rights of property that formerly belonged without 

 doubt to the owner from whom he hired it, and which 

 that owner never had a thought of giving him, could 

 never be conceived anywhere out of Ireland. An 

 abstract name is put to the thing the tenant wishes 

 for. We hear of " fixity of tenure," simply meaning, 

 that instead of holding the land for the term agreed 

 for and promised, the tenant is to have it for ever and 

 ever. Then, it being seen that, if the previous owner 

 could raise the rent as he thought proper, fixity of 

 tenure might not be of much value, it is claimed that 

 there shall be a valuation for rents by the Govern- 

 ment. The valuation for poor-rates and other local 

 taxes was made by Sir E. Griffiths for the Government 

 many years ago. It was meant only as a relative valu- 

 ation for taxation. The prices of different sorts of 

 produce were laid down by the Act of 15 and 16 Vic. 

 c. 63, according to which the valuation was to be made. 

 These prices were wheat, 7s. 6d. per cwt. ; oats, 4s. 

 lOd. ; barley, 5s. 6d. ; flax, 49s. ; butter, 65s. 4d. ; beef, 

 35s. 6d. ; mutton, 41s. ; pork, 42s. all about half the 

 prices at which such produce usually sells for now. 



Yet, because this valuation is so low, it is now 

 spoken of as the highest standard by which rents 

 ought to be fixed ; and above all things there is to be 



