REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS. 19 



least to endeavour to trace whether there be any circum- 

 stances which restrict the amount of employment or the 

 rate of wages ; or in any other way offer impediments to 

 the improvement of the people, which are such as can be 

 remedied by legislation. 



The principal occupation in Ireland being agricultural, 

 our first attention has been directed to that branch of in- 

 dustry. We are informed, both through private commu- 

 nications, and through parliamentary and other public 

 documents, that there is much unreclaimed land in Ire- 

 land which might be brought into cultivation, and that 

 land already under cultivation might throughout Ireland 

 be more efficiently worked, and thus increase the demand 

 for labour. We wish to ascertain to what extent these 

 statements are well founded, and whether the evil is attri- 

 butable to want of capital or to want of skill ; and whether 

 there are any circumstances which have deterred British 

 capitalists from coming to Ireland, or have prevented the 

 investment in agriculture of capital actually existing in 

 Ireland; and to what extent those circumstances have 

 proved injurious : in case the evil arises from a deficiency 

 of skill in the tenantry, to ascertain whether there are any 

 means by which a superior knowledge of agriculture can 

 be diffused ; whether it be possible generally to introduce 

 those systems which, in Down, Armagh, and in other 

 counties, are reported to have produced the most benefi- 

 cial results, both to the owner and to the occupier. 



Other causes of inferior cultivation have been assigned, 

 upon which it is necessary to possess information. Some 

 of these respect corporate lands, lands of minors, lands in 

 litigation, lands held under custodium, etc. ; and more 

 particularly lands in possession of sub-landlords, whose 



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