*KM OF 1903. 155 



have to thank in part the tact of their officials* 

 ! in part, not thr effect of the enlargement of 

 holdings, hut the remuneration which the tena 

 received for works of improvement carried out 

 on their farms. 1 



Even if the Government were to pay down as 

 ree gift from Imperial fir whole cost of 



the enlargement of holdings, the difficulties 

 would not then be at an end. The pasture-lands 

 necessary for the purpose do not i over- 



abundant measure. If one were to divide up 

 among the farmers of the district all the culti 

 vable land in the Union of Westport, each man 

 would have only a i6-acre farm; in Belmullet, 

 15-5 acres; in Swinford, 14*5; in Dunfanaghy, 

 13-2. Every enlargement of a farm is a benefit 

 to the owner of it, but as a social reform the 

 process is of no value unless at least 2oacre 

 :ns can be provided. If such were to be formed 

 iove-mentioned d . then trans- 



plantations to other counties and provim 

 would be necessary, and would assuredly call 

 forth a fiercer resistance than Cromwell's trans- 

 plantation of the Irish landowners toConnaught. 

 If the enlargement process were to be carried 



1 The income of the C D. B. for all purposes now amounts to 

 ,86,000 a year, but only a portion of this is available for the 

 enlargement of holdings, the administration costs of which are 

 very considerable. The loss of the Land Commission on the 

 purchase and re-sale of congested estates must not by law be 

 higher than 10 per cent, of the purchase price. 



