The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-04-12 00:00:00

A telegram from Rome says that Garibaldi is much
better, and it is hoped that in a few days he will be
able to drive out.

THE SPEAKER AND HIS TENANTS.

At the recent half-yearly audit of the Right Hon.
the Speaker, which was held at Glyndegolace, near
Lewes, about 30 tenants were entertained in the dining.
hail of the mansion. Mr. Colgate, steward, presided,
and read a letter from the right hon. gentleman, in
which he referred to the depressed condition of agricul-
ture and stated liis intention to allow an abatement of
10 per cent. on the rents payable for the past half .year.
He also expressed an opinion that if the present state
of things continued a readjustment of rents would
become necessary.

Mr. Ellis, a large holder on the estate, said he con-
sidered the action taken by the right hon. gentleman
very liberal and graceful. Being a practical farmer,
the right hon. gentleman knew well how to sympathize,
with his tenants in their difficulties. Speaking for
himself sod others holding leases, he considered it
particularly handsome that their landlord should treat
them in the same way as his yearly tenants. He
desired Mr. Colgate to convey to him their high
appreciation of the liberality shown, which would have
the effect of stimulating the tenants on the Glynde
estate to the exertion of their best energies to grapple
with existing difficulties.
The toast of "The Right Hon. Speaker" was drunk
most heartily.

In connection with the above, The Ties of Tuesday
publishes the following:— _ .

- ._ .
Sir,—l observe in The Times of to-day a reference to what
occurred at my audit at Glynde last Thursday. It is
correct so far as it goes; but it does not represent fully and
accurately the substance of the communication which I
made to my tenants, and I shall therefore be obliged to you
to publish the accompanying memorandum, which I ad-
dressed last week to my steward authorizing a remission of
rent.—Your obedient servant, IL BRAND, Speaker's Rouse,
Westminster, April 7.

"Mr. Colgate,—Let an abatement of 10 per cent.
upon the net rents paid up at this audit be remitted to
my tenants.
I am very willing to make this concession in con-
sideration of the exceptional pressure of the times;
but while making it I wish you to caution thy tenants
against expecting similar concessions in future, for I
regard the practice of casual and uncertain remissions
of rent as unsound in prinoiple and injurious in many
W&8 to tenants as well as landlords. If the pressure
of times will not sustain existing rents the proper
course would be to revalue farms and readjust rents
accordingly, and I only adopt the remission now con-
ceded as a means ready to hand of recogniziugt the
peculiar hardness of the times.
" There is good ground, however, for the expecta-
tion that the existing pressure will not continue with
the severity of the past season, and I am led to this
conclusion by a consideration of the several causes
which have brought about the existing pressure. The
main causes to which I refer are of an exceptional and
transitory character, for instance :
"1. A succession of bad corn harvests for the last
four years, combined with low prices, except for
barley.
"2. A derangement of the meat market, which his
resulted in graziers buying beasts in a rising market
and selling them in a falling one.
"I cannot conceive that all the above causes will
recur and continue in the intensity of the past year;
but, if they do, I have no hesitation in saying that a
readjustment of rents must ensue.
"On the other hand, it should be borne in mind, as
a set-off against our losses. that—(l) The flocks in the
South Downs have in the past year brought larger re-
turns than usual; (2) the hay harvest of 1878 was
very productive; (3) dairy farming has been fairly
profitable. _ _

".As na-3; tenants are aware, I have repeatedly at my
andas advised them not to look for high prices of
corn, but rather to look to their flocks and herds as
sources of profit, and I adhere to that advice,
although the market price of meat may be to some
extent affected by importations from foreign parts.
"I have also constantly advised them that the beat
way to meet the difficulties in the labour market was
to look to the better accommodation ot their labourers,
and I have at some sacrifice done what I could as land-
lord to improve and increase cottages on my estate.
"As my tenants are aware, I have ever been In
favour of long leases, with liberftl covenants, accept-
ing willingly the Agricultural Holdings Act, and if
any of my agreements contain customary restrictions
as to the course of cropping and as to the sale of hay
and straw, I shall always be willing to relax such re-
strictions in favour of tenants who farm well, as I hope
all my tenants do. "H. BRAIM.
"Speaker's House, April 2, 1879.

P. S.—The remission of 10 per cent. will apply to
all alike, whether under lease or otherwise.
"Moat of my rents include tithes. I shall thus, in
respect of tithes, be making remissions upon what
belongs to another; but let that pass; the remission
will be on your receipt of rent at this audit."