6* PROPOSED TENANCY REFORMS 



be in the general interest to allow the landlord the right of 

 forcing the removal of occupancy tenants in such cases, 

 subject to proper compensation. The purchase price for 

 buying in occupancy rights should be calculated at about 

 twenty times the difference between the rent payable by the 

 occupancy tenant, and the full rent which the same land 

 would be worth if let to a yearly tenant. Such cases must 

 be decided by a Court ; and the Court must take into con- 

 sideration the purpose of the landlord's resumption :md 

 consider whether he is likely to be able to fulfil that purpose. 

 A landlord might, for example, seek to resume a considerable 

 area for the purposes of planting sugar-cane, and erecting a 

 factory ; but this might be only an idea, and he might have 

 no real chance of raising the necessary capital to carry the 

 scheme through. He should, therefore, be required to give 

 reasons for believing that he can carry out his purpose ; and 

 if these are convincing, he should certainly have the right of 

 buying out the occupancy rights. 



The question of occupancy rights is really very similar 

 to v thatof leases. If the occupancy rights could be abolished 

 when needed with proper compensation, they would bo 

 allowed to accrue more freely than at present. When 

 resumption by the landlord had thus become possible there 

 would be no objection to allowing a tenant to purchase 

 occnpanoy rights after any length of tenure. The question 

 of the purchase price which had been paid by the tenant for 

 his occupancy right would naturally be taken into considera- 

 tion in determining the compensation to be paid to him if 

 the landlord should want to buy them back. There is no 

 objection whatever to making occupancy rights more freely 

 obtainable, so long they can be more freely abolished. The 

 whole question ultimately resolves itself into the determina- 

 tion of the fair compensation for tenants' improvements and 

 for any interest with the tenant has in the land, such as a long 



