902 READINGS IN RURAL ECONOMICS 



was the proposal for direct purchase of estates by the Land Com- 

 mission, for which purpose additional funds were to be provided. 

 An application for a readjustment of rent might be met by the 

 other party applying to the commission to state the fair terms 

 of sale, which, if not accepted, would prevent any alteration 

 of rent. 



This last part of the bill was strongly opposed by the tenant's 

 advocates as an infringement of the right secured by the act of 

 1 88 1, and all parties seemed to hold that still more inducement 

 to purchase should be given. The measure was accordingly with- 

 drawn with a promise that an Irish land bill would be the chief 

 piece in the programme for the following year. In the meantime 

 active efforts were made to bring about a conference between the 

 representatives of landlords and tenants, which should come to 

 an agreement on the terms of settlement to be submitted to the 

 government for embodiment in the new bill. Though the official 

 body representing the owners (the Landowners' Convention) de- 

 clined to take part in a conference, a number of landlords agreed 

 to the plan ; and four representatives of this section met four 

 members of Parliament who were regarded as tenants' representa- 

 tives, and after discussion put forth a statement in which the 

 most noteworthy points were: (i) the assertion that an occupy- 

 ing proprietary in lieu of dual ownership was the only satisfac- 

 tory settlement of the question ; (2) that the landlords' income 

 (defined to mean rents fixed since 1896) should be secured to 

 them ; (3) that owners should be allowed to purchase their man- 

 sion houses and demesne lands ; (4) that the expense of proving 

 title and delay in payment of the purchase-money should be 

 removed; (5) that the tenants' annuities should be such as to 

 give an immediate reduction, varying from 15 to 25 per cent, 

 with further reductions as the process of repayment went on, 

 which would involve the aid of the State. The laborers, the Con- 

 gested Districts, and the evicted tenants were also recommended 

 to the consideration of the government. 



Although originally hostile, the Executive Committee of the 

 Landowners' Convention accepted the Conference Report as "' a 

 valuable addition " to " the suggestions that had been made for 



