RENTS NOT REDUCED SOON ENOUGH Id 



the land worth more, or that the tenants could tide over, 

 or being unwilling or unable, with the consequence that 

 the old tenants have to go and a much less rent is taken 

 from new men. 



Mr Bear says : " Many of the old tenants were not 

 allowed any reductions in rent till they were ruined, and 

 then the reductions were given to new men. It has been 

 a great complaint in many counties that the reductions 

 were not made soon enough, and that the farmers lost 

 their capital before the reductions came to help them." 



In Banffshire, Mr Stuart mentions an estate where the 

 old tenants were refused a reduction, and six out of 

 fourteen became bankrupt, while the farms had to be 

 relet at over 30 per cent, fall in rent. 



In Wigtownshire, many farms are said to have been 

 relet at heavy reductions, which were refused to old 

 tenants, some of whom were then ruined. 



Mr Spencer quotes the opinion of a Gloucester witness 

 that, " if reductions had been made, as they ought to have 

 been made, many tenants would have been able to 

 continue their holdings." The course of events is vividly 

 indicated : " Unfortunately, for many years, no reduction 

 was made, the landlord being of opinion that the de- 

 pression was only temporary, but as prices continued to 

 fall abatements were made. The farmers, thinking times 

 would improve, continued on at the old rents, got into 

 debt, borrowed money. Still times did not mend. The 

 land became depreciated in consequence of dismissed 

 labourers, the produce became less, and at last the only 

 alternative was to become bankrupt, and give up. This 

 is the case in many instances." ^ 



Dr Fream reports complaints that " the tenants had 

 borne the brunt of the bad years, and now, when too 

 late, the landlords were offering reductions, which at an 

 earlier stage might have saved tenants from collapse." ^ 



The consideration of evidence of this nature taken by 

 the Commission, and of the results of the local inquiries 

 by Assistant Commissioners, makes it clear that, while 

 some landlords probably met the depression from the 



'Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, etc., p. 20. ^Andover, p. 5. 



