150 AGRICULTURAL DEPRESSION 



advanced from this basis in the interests of landlords are 

 transparently absurd. 



Another consideration must not be forgotten. There 

 has been, without doubt, a certain reluctance on the part 

 of some to give evidence publicly, or to state openly 

 what they were willing to state privately to Assistant 

 Commissioners. 



Thus Mr Speir, in referring to excellent meetings 

 held in the south-western counties of Scotland, re- 

 marks, "While the public meetings in great part re- 

 flected the opinions expressed in private, they neither 

 did so fully nor forcibly, because many subjects could 

 be discussed in private which it would have been in- 

 judicious to mention in public, and many gentlemen 

 who spoke on the subjects under inquiry without reserve 

 while in private, did not for various reasons wish to 

 appear in public debate." ^ 



Mr Pringle also states, " I think the farmers speak 

 more freely in private than in public ; " and with regard 

 to the worst instances of the unfair treatment of sitting 

 tenants, statements were made to him confidentially 

 which would not have been given at a public meeting. 



In view of the evidence as to the payment of rents 

 out of capital in the depressed districts, the actual 

 figures of existing rents are significant. 



Thus, in Suffolk, in the Blything Union, the average 

 of rent over the 92,316 acres is 14s 8d. In the 

 Plomesgate Union only I3'4 per cent, of the land is 

 let at or under los an acre. In the Sudbury Union 

 24 per cent, is assessed as worth los an acre, tithe free. 

 On seven large well-known estates, the existing rents 

 are 13s 6d, 12s, 15s ii|d, i6s 6d, 13s, 14s 3d, 12s yd. 

 On other estates, farms up to 100 acres are not quoted 

 below 17s 6d, and farms from 100 to 400 acres range 

 from 8s 2d to 21s. 



In Lincolnshire, on twelve important estates, rents for 

 farms from 100 to 400 acres are quoted by Mr Fox, lOs 

 to 28s, 22s 8d, about 15s, 25s to 26s, i8s Qd, i6s gd, 

 l8s 3d, 2is 5d, 25s 6d, 23s 6d, and 25s for fen farms 



' Ayrshire, etc., p. 3. 



