284 A LIFE'S WORK IN IRELAND. 



its cost during his term. Good and intelligent tenants 

 will usually be glad to do so. Draining generally 

 pays much more than 5 per cent. Buildings ought 

 to pay that at least. It must be remembered, if a 

 tenant has taken a farm with bad buildings, it is his 

 own fault if he has not taken it at a lower rent than 

 he would have had to pay for a farm with good build- 

 ings. All therefore that the tenant for life will have 

 to pay if the occupier pays 5 per cent on the cost of 

 the improvement, is the difference above that rate 

 needful to raise the money. Admit that he cannot 

 afford to pay for the improvement out of the rent, 

 and that he cannot borrow the money and mortgage 

 the land for it, he must then resort to a Land Improve- 

 ment Company for a loan at a rate to repay principal 

 and interest on a course of several years. 



Now, one of the best of these companies, the 

 General Land Drainage and Improvement Company, 

 who have power by Act of Parliament to lend, with- 

 out investigation of title, and in spite of incumbrances 

 and settlements, will lend a sum of £2000 and up- 

 wards for £6 : : 4 per cent for thirty-one years. The 

 charge, therefore, to a tenant for life, if the occupier 

 paid 5 per cent, would be about £20 a year for £2000, 

 £100 a year for £10,000. 



That such a charge as this will hinder any tenant 

 for life from making an improvement that he would 

 have made if he had been owner in fee, I do not think 

 any one can contend. Very often the whole expense 



