9o6 READINGS IN RURAL ECONOMICS 



The commission can also arrange to buy estates ready for sale 

 in the Land Judge's Court, where so many encumbered prop- 

 erties have been lying for disposal since the opening of the 

 agricultural depression. How far these extensive powers will 

 be brought into use is somewhat doubtful. When a small 

 minority of the tenants on an estate decline to purchase, they 

 will certainly be used, the dissenting tenants being in such cases 

 made compulsory purchasers. 



Finally, the Congested Districts Board a body established 

 in 1 89 1 for the improvement of the the backward districts of 

 Ireland receives additional assistance for purchasing estates 

 and redistributing the land amongst the tenants in the most 

 beneficial way. 



By these several methods it is certain that there will be in the 

 aggregate a very considerable transfer of land to the occupiers, 

 accompanied, in the case of the poorer parts of the country, by 

 a readjustment of holdings in order to bring them to a suitable 

 size. But there are important sections of the farming class that 

 are placed outside the effective operation of the measure. Judicial 

 tenancies i.e., tenancies on which a fair rent has been fixed, 

 either by the court or by agreement are alone directly regarded. 

 But the total number of first-term rents fixed at the opening of 

 1903 was 342,000 ; of these over 87,000 had obtained a second 

 term. The area covered by these operations is 10,228,000 acres, 

 or one-half of the whole country. The total number of holdings 

 is over 490,000 and this would seem to leave a very large residue 

 (150,000) placed in a less favorable position. Two considerations, 

 however, somewhat reduce this formidable number. Many hold- 

 ings close to towns the so-called "town parks" are not fit 

 subjects for purchase ; and then there are over 70,000 holdings 

 already purchased by their occupiers. Making due allowance for 

 these classes, there will probably be about 100,000 holdings out- 

 side those forming the "estates " with which the act deals. They 

 must remain for the process of individual bargaining. Another 

 limitation is contained in the prudent regulation that the Land 

 Commission shall not have more than ;^ 5,000,000 worth of land 

 in its own hands. 



