136 LIMITATION OF RATES. 



estates of the Earl of Ban try, who has expended a con- 

 siderable sum, under the Land Improvement Act, on 

 the lands occupied by tenants having small holdings, 

 who have been completely ruined by the loss of the 

 potato crop, and who do not understand the cultivation 

 of any crops except potatoes and oats ; hence the 

 works have not been followed up. 



"From these, as well as similar cases, I am of 

 opinion that, where a proprietor undertakes large works 

 of improvement for a depressed and unskilful tenantry, 

 without sufficient funds to render the lands suitable for 

 a superior class of farmers, the drainage works under 

 the Act will not return the required percentage on the 

 outlay ; but, on the contrary, where the works are fol- 

 lowed up by skilful farmers, that the return will amount 

 to from ten to twenty per cent ; and I am happy to 

 say that the latter is the predominant character of the 

 works that have been undertaken in my district, the 

 comparative failures being the exception, not the rule." 

 — 17th Report of the Commission of Public Works, 

 p. 23. 



An influx of capital must therefore be encouraged, 

 whether it is to come from England, or, as many believe, 

 from the coffers of wealthy men in Ireland, who are 

 said to be waiting for the security under which alone 

 capital can flourish. That security may be attained 

 by the interposition of parliament to fix a limit to the 



AMOUNT OF POOR-RATES. 



The effect of an unlimited rate has been already 

 shown to discourage cultivation and increase pau- 

 perism. If carried much farther, it may end in total 



