SMALL HOLDINGS. 79 



and the right for the tenant to sell his occupa- 

 tion title. The Irish Land Commission was 

 appointed to fix fair rents. 



The Ashbourne Purchase Act of 1885 made a 

 bold step forward, providing a sum of £5,000,000 

 to finance a scheme of small holdings. Land- 

 lord and tenant were to agree together as to a 

 fair price of the tenant's holding. The Govern- 

 ment then purchased the land, and resold it to 

 the tenant on an instalment system, the money 

 repayable in forty-nine years. 



Balfour's Congested Districts Act of 1891 

 sought to grapple with the problem of the dis- 

 tricts where farms were so small as not to be 

 living areas. The Congested Districts Board 

 was given power to purchase estates and to 

 assign them to small-holders. Power was given 

 to migrate people from crowded districts to 

 others. A State subsidy of £180,000 a year 

 was granted to the scheme. Lands were drained. 

 The Irishmen were taught and assisted to 

 improve their stock and their crops ; to make 

 fishing boats and nets, and to cure fish. Boat- 

 slips were built to make the coast accessible. 

 Lace-making and carpet-making were taught. 



