The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-04-10 00:00:00

rtrE STOURBRIDGE OBSERVER. opi,

to the Agricultural Holdings Bill, though it need not
excite
.any discussion. He could not but feel some-
what embarrassed in treating the subject before them
seeing that since he selected his topic an important
change was found to be looming in the agricultural
horizon. He wished it to be noted in dealing with his
subject that freedom was not licence; it implied, in
his opinion, responsibility. They were met every-
where, now-a-days, with proofs of the unsatisfactory
state of feeling throughout the country with regard to
farming. They had advice of all kinds tendered them
some wise and some very unwise; and were tempted
often enough to say, "Save us from our friends." He
had before poliiteil mit; through the public Press, that
the demand tor higher wages on the part of the agricul-
tural labour , practically, amounted to a demand from
the farmer of larger produce from the soil; and the
only way of meeting the Effi-culties before them was a
wise co-operation in removing every obstacle to the
cultivation and distribution of farm produce. He Lad
to observe that many landlords knew too little of their
tenants; and hence the lack of opportunity for such
conference between the two as would tend to mutual
benefit. (Hear, hear.) They were warned on all sides
that the whole world was competing with them; they
could not overlook the facts of the case, for it was not
in corn alone that they had competition, but in butter,
eggs, poultry, &c. The Marquis of Salisbury had re-
cently said that capital would face any difficulty and
danger, and would go to the uttermost parts of the
world in seeking employment; but there was one thing
which frightened it, and that was any great uncertainty
in the conditions under which it had to be ern-
' ployed. Echoing these observations, he (the speaker)
earnestly wished that they would be applied at all times
by landlords in dealing with their tenants. With
regard to the Aggicultural Holdings Bill he might
state that at a meeting of the Manchester Farmers'
Club on Saturday a resolution was passed to the effect
that the Bill, owing to its permissive character, is
valuable only as a concession to the principle of tenant
right, and that in order to carry out the principle thus
recognised the Government should make the Act
practically effective by striking out Clause 37, and
otherwise amending the measure. He himself re-
garded the' subject of unexhausted improvements
as one of vast importance; and if farming had to
make any progress, this was a matter that should
be speedily attended to. There was no possibility,
in his estimation, of the Bill before Parliament
leading to that doubling of the products of the soil
of which Lord Derby had spoken. Permissive
Bills, as a rule led to confusion and disappoint-
ment, and he feared that this would be no excep-
tion. .(Hear, hear.) Still, the Bill was welcome as
legalizing the principle of tenant right; and with
some amendments it was just possible that it might
be of some benefit. But, as it stood, the Bill would,
he thought, be injurious rather than beneficial. It was
greatly to be regretted that the Duke of Richmond
had not had the advantage, in framing the Bill, of the
advice of those who were practically acquainted with
the question. (Hear, hear.) Tenant right meant an
increased production of food for our teeming popula-
tion. The time was at hand when there must be a
great revision of the laws which favoured the few at
the expense of the many, and the ministers who dealt
thoroughly with this matter would go down to pos-
terity BA a great benefactor to his country. (Applause.)
Mr. Leeds, referring to the allusions which had been
made as to the present high price of hay and straw,
said it must be understood that this was quite an ex-
ceptional thing, the outcome of special circumstances.
As to the talk about doubling the produce of farming,
he thought it should be understood that Lord Derby
and others spoke of me-at—of cattle as well as grain.
(Applause.)
Mr. C. S. Read, M.P., said there was no doubt there
was a great dearth of provender, and this would
account for exceptionally high prices. The freedom to
dispose of produce pleaded for by the speaker would
unquestionably be a great benefit in the North; but
under the different systems of farming carried out in
the South it was a question whethgr there would be
any advantage by the change. (Hear, hear.) He re-
ferred to an instance which had come under his own
observation, in which the " humbugging " restriction
of a lease were precisely the same now as they were 75
years ago; though he had to observe that most of the
absurd restrictions were not put in force. There could
be no doubt that there was need of a great revision in
matters of this kind. (Hear, hear.) They must not,
however, confound freedom of contract with security
of tenure; let them have security first and freedom
afterwards. (Applause.)
Major Dashwood pleaded for a year's notice and full
freedom to dispose of produce. He thought the pre-
sent Bill was a most mischievous one; it would never
answer to treat men like children. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. Simpson said as a lawyer he must point out
that there was a difficulty with a yearly tenancy of
framing an agreement to protect the landlord when a
tenant was treating the land in a way which would be
injurious to the incoming tenant. (Hear, hear.)
Professor Fawcett, M.P., said he felt that he must
apologise for being present, though he had to say that
he was there because he took a great interest in the
subject, which had been ably dealt with by Mr.
Neild. The paper read that evening involved many
questions of agricultural detail upon which it
would be presumptuous in him to speak. As far as he
understood what was meant by freedom of farming
was freedom of cultivation, and freedom to do what
they liked with the produce of the farm. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. Read had referred to a case of a stringent lease,
but that stringency did not press hardly on the farmer,
because the clauses had become a dead letter. But
how would it be if the new Bill were passed as it now
stood—when the clauses for compensation to the land-
lord were much more stringent than those framed in
the interest of the tenant? He was persuaded that
the result would be a further interference with the
freedom of cultivation. (Hear, hear.) It was neces-
sary that great interest should be taken in this ques-
tion, as the Government Bill was the most important
measure as affecting the agricultural interests that
had been brought forward for many years. He trusted
to have an opportunity of saying something upon it
at their next meeting, when he would endeavour to
prove that tenant right meant, first, that the land
should produce all that it could be made to produce;
and, second, that the tenants should have compensa-
tion for the capital invested. (Hear, hear.) He looked
upon the Bill before Parliament as seriously affecting
the interest of labourers as well .as landlords and
tenant farmers. ( A pplause.)
After some further criticisms of Mr. Neild's paper,
the meeting closed with the usual totes of thanks.