4 The Agricultural Holdings Act, 1906. 
under an obligation to execute.” But the proviso in Section 6 of 
the Act provides that the tenant, before beginning to execute 
any such repairs, shall give to the landlord notice in writing of 
his intention, together with particulars of such repairs, and 
shall not execute the repairs unless the landlord fails to execute 
them within a reasonable time after receiving such notice, that 
is if they constitute an improvement requiring notice to be 
given. In all cases, in future, where repairs are required to 
buildings necessary for the proper cultivation or working of 
the holding, the landlord is entitled to receive notice from the 
tenant who proposes to execute the repairs, if the tenant desires 
to claim compensation for them. The landlord then has his 
option of either executing the repairs himself or allowing his 
tenant to do so. In the latter case the tenant will be entitled 
to receive compensation for the improvement on leaving his 
holding. 
The expression “ reasonable time ” is used in the section. 
The reasonable time allowed to the landlord must be construed 
with reference to the circumstances of each particular case ; 
undoubtedly time must be allowed a landlord’s surveyor or 
agent, to examine into and report upon the proposed repairs 
and their cost, and some delay, in consequence, must ensue. 
Meanwhile, pending the landlord’s decision, the tenant’s hands 
will be tied, for neither will he undertake nor will his advisers 
care to recommend his undertaking repairs till the landlord has 
definitely declined to execute them. It would appear, therefore, 
that the substitution of a definite time for the expression 
“reasonable time,” in which the election should be made, would 
have been more satisfactory from the tenant’s point of view, as 
likely to lead to less trouble and delay. Further, it must be 
remembered that in agricultural leases provision is often made 
for the repair of existing buildings, such as barns, &c., by the 
tenant, and to such leases the section has no application, for 
the tenant would be bound to make such repairs by the terms 
of his lease. 
Recoed op Holding. 
A provision which, if generally taken advantage of, will 
lessen disputes in future is found in Section 7 of the Act. 
At the termination of a tenancy, and sometimes earlier, 
disputes begin as to the condition of the buildings, fences, 
gates, roads, di-ains, ditches, and the state of cultivation of the 
holding at the commencement of the tenancy. Unless a record 
has been made at the time the matter has to be decided 
by the evidence of witnesses who speak from memory. The 
present provision, which enables either party to insist u^jon a 
record of the holding being taken within three months after 
the commencement of the tenancy, is of distinct value. The 
