l6o AGRICULTURAL DEPRESSION 



and certainty of the procedure, and the comparative 

 liberality of the scales of compensation adopted, the 

 general type of which is fully given by Mr Wilson Fox. 



Mr Epton, on the other hand, thinks the Act is being 

 more used in Lincolnshire. The Act is not utilised in 

 Sir Massey Lopes' district of Devonshire ; it is treated 

 as a dead letter in the Andover district. From South 

 Wilts a valuer of experience says the Act is " unwork- 

 able, but did considerable good by forcing bad land- 

 lords to give tenant-right." " The Act is everywhere 

 described as a complete failure. The general opinion is 

 that it falls far short of its intentions and pretensions." 

 The Milborne St Andrew's Farmers' Club in Dorset 

 states " the Act is quite a dead letter, tenants recognis- 

 ing it only as a means of being fleeced." In Berkshire 

 " farmers generally seem afraid of it." In North Devon 

 there seems more disposition to use the Act. 



Mr H. H. Scott takes a more favourable view of its 

 working. " The depression would have been accentu- 

 ated had it not been for the Act ; and is of opinion that 

 an outgoing tenant keeps his farm in better condition 

 owing ^.o the Act." And, in Huntingdonshire, Mr 

 Looker, n agent, says the Act is repeatedly called into 

 operation. 



Mr Middleton considers the Act has been to some 

 extent a failure, more in the carrying out of it than the 

 Act itself 



Mr Carrington Smith considers the Act is practically 

 inoperative. 



In Lancashire the Act has been but " little put in 

 force, and in recent years has ceased to be acted upon." 



From Scotland we have various comments. 



" The Act has been a benefit, and the recognition of a 

 good principle, but farmers are beginning to be afraid 

 of it." 



" It is too expensive and cumbrous in its working." 



" The Act is a dead letter in Forfar ; too much 

 formality and expense." 



The Act is disliked by landlords, and the position 

 of the tenant under lease who wishes a reduction of 



