28 REPORT OF THE SCOTTISH COMMISSION 



The tenants were represented by Mr John Eedmond, Mr William 

 O'Brien, Mr T. W. Russell, and Mr T. Harrington. A report was 

 issued. Mr Wyndham's Land Purchase Act of 1903, which we 

 are now to consider, was based on the recommendations contained 

 in that Report. 



Inducements to Landlords to Sell 



The 1903 Act helps the tenant, inasmuch as it places at the 

 disposal of the Land Commission £100,000,000 of money for land- 

 purchase purposes, and in numerous ways facilitates sales ; but it 

 offers to him, as an individual, no greater inducement to purchase. 

 In fact, it places him in a worse position than the earlier Acts. 

 The yearly instalments of interest and sinking fund are reduced 

 from 4 to 3^ per cent., but the period of payment is extended 

 from 49 to 68 1 years, so that, while the individual payments 

 are less, the aggregate payments are more. The purchase price 

 is higher. Still, the Irish farmer is paying, as we shall see 

 presently, from 10 to 40 per cent, less as proprietor than he would 

 be were he to remain tenant. There is still, therefore, the neces- 

 sary inducement' to him to become proprietor. In the previous 

 Acts the inducement to the landlord to sell was not sufficient. 

 The clamant need, failing compulsory purchase, which finds no 

 place in Irish land reform, was inducement sufficient to make the 

 landlord willing to sell. The outstanding feature of the 1903 Act 

 is the creation of these inducements. We mention a few of the 

 more important of them. 



(i) Method of Fixing the Price 



In previous Acts the price was a matter of arrangement 

 between the landlord and tenant. Inspectors on behalf of the 

 Land Commission had to be satisfied with the security before the 

 Land Commission advanced the money. It is still possible and 

 preferable to proceed in this way, but the Land Commission in 

 such circumstances are not bound to sanction the advance. The 

 alternative procedure under the Act is new. Landlord and tenant 

 are restricted in the terms of sale and purchase, and notwith- 

 standing the fact that the State is to advance £100,000,000 of 

 money, inspection on behalf of the Land Commission, in respect of 

 the sales under the alternative procedure, so far as security is 

 concerned, is dispensed with, and the price is fixed as follows : — 

 If the rent payable by the tenant is a first term rent, that is, a 

 rent fixed after 1881 and before 1896, it is reduced by not less 

 than 20 per cent, and not more than 40 per cent, as a preliminary 

 to fixing the purchase price. If the rent is a second term rent, 

 that is, a rent fixed after 1896, the reduction is not less than 10 

 per cent, and not more than 30 per cent, as a preliminary to fixing 

 the purchase price. Landlord and tenant then endeavour to 

 arrange the price within these " zones." Let us see how a sale is 



