THE ACT OF 1906 199 



siderably altered on report and in the Lords, eventually 

 received the Royal Assent on 21st December. 



It was the events of 1905-6 which were in mind when the 

 opening paragraphs of this chapter were written. Here we 

 find the same body of men grudgingly allowing the question 

 of amending the Acts to go on the parliamentary programme 

 one year, yet the next year eagerly debating further amend- 

 ments. But this changed attitude was due, not to any 

 fickleness on the part of members of the Chambers, but to 

 the uncertain and haphazard methods of the politicians. 

 Though it was true that as stated on page 197 fifteen 

 members of the Council had been found to vote for an abstract 

 motion in that direction, yet the Chambers were not asking 

 for any specific amendments. When, however, Parliament 

 decides that agriculturists are to be stirred up, it becomes 

 a matter of duty for them to be watchful. 



This Act of 1906 gave effect to some of the requests pre- 

 ferred by the Council in 1900. Thus it repealed the words 

 in Section 1 as to the " inherent capabilities of the soil." It 

 permitted a record of the holding to be scheduled at the 

 commencement of every tenancy if required ; and it revised 

 the arrangement of the First Schedule (i.e., improvements 

 for which compensation may be claimed). On the other 

 hand, it interfered with freedom of contract ; permitted 

 absolute freedom of cropping" and disposal of produce, which 

 with a bad tenant may mean ruination of the land ; and 

 opened the door to endless litigation by its bad drafting, 

 and by such vague, almost meaningless phrases as make up 

 the first part of Section 11 in the Consolidated Act of 1908. 

 This section, moreover, by giving compensation for disturb- 

 ance is contrary to the recommendation of the Royal Com- 

 mission on Agriculture which reported in 1897, and is a long 

 step towards the introduction of dual ownership in land. 



19O8. 



Twice in 1906, once in 1907, and again on 28th January, 

 1908, the Council urged the Board to pass a Bill consolidating 

 the Agricultural Holdings Acts, and in the course of this Session 



