The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1888-03-10 00:00:00

IRISH LAND.

The following special report has been issued by the
Irish Land Commissioners regarding that action in
carrying into effect the provisions of the Land Law
(Ireland) Act, 1887: "As the duty imposed upon us
by the Legislature was carried out after the 22nd
Aug., an account of the manner in which it was per-
formed would, under ordinary circumstances, form part
of our annual report for the year ending in August,
1888, but the special interest attaching to the
matter in question justifies us in departing from
the usual course and submitting the following
to your -..ccellency. Immediately after the passing
of the Land Law (Ireland) Act, 1887, in order
to enable us to acquire the necessary informa-
tion for making the orders contemplated by
the 29th Section, we appointed, as scrutineers
of prices, 16 gentlemen selected as having a
special fitness for the task and an acquaintance
with the several districts assigned to them. The
scrutineers were instructed to set forth in their
returns the sources whence their information was
obtained. They were advised in all cases to obtain
information from as many different quarters as
possible, so as to arrive at just conclusions, and were
enjoined to make their returns as accurate as careful
local inquiry could render them. The Poor-law
Unions were selected as the most convenient areas to
deal with. Considerable time was occupied in this
investigation, which it was necessary to continue into
December, so that as far as possible the prices of the
entire year of 1887 might be taken into account. In
considering the returns furnished to us by the
scrutineers we endeavoured to inform ourselves of
the principal products of each Union, taking from the
Registrar-General's carefully compiled statistics of
agriculture the area occupied in each Union by the
several products and ascertaining quantities and
values accordingly. We did this in order that the
alteration in price of each staple product should
have in the result an influence as far as possible
corresponding to its prominence ascertained, as afore-
said, in the Union, or portion of the Union, being dealt
with. The want of trustworthy local statistics of
prices officially taken and preserved is a matter to be
regretted, and one which has materially increased °lir •
difficulties, but although we cannot assert that tile s'
results arrived at are absolutely correct, we do cons- '
dently state that they are as accurate as it has been --
possible to make them with the means at our disposal,
and by the aid of an investigation conducted with the
greatest care. Mr. Justice O'Hagan felt himself
unable to concur in signing the order of 23rd De-
cember, 1887, or adopting the schedule which it sanc-
tioned. He was of opinion that the 29th Section be-
stowed upon the Land Commission a larger power of
determing what alteration ought equitably to be mane
in judicial rents, having regard to the difference in
prices affecting agriculture, than the other Commis-
sioners conceived to be open to them under the word-
ing of the Section."

RELEASE OF MR. BLUNT.
On Tuesday morning, at half-past eight o'clock, Mr.
Wilfrid Blunt was raeased from Kilmainham Prison,
whither he had been transferred from Galway Prison,
for conveniente'in attending the trial of his action
..against the divisional magistrates Byrne and Mr.
Balfour. He was met by Lady Anne Blunt, Alder-
man Dillon, and several friends, besides a small
• crowd, who raised a cheer. Mr. Blunt drove with
Lady Anne Blunt to Alderman Dillon's residence.

1 .agains'

, . , , ,dVL

FARMERS AND GOVERNMENT.

The usual meeting of the Farmers' Club was held
on Monday evening in London, Mr. Albert Pell pre-
siding. Mr. Druce, the secretary, read a paper on
"A Government Department of Agriculture." There
were present—Sir Richard Paget, M.P., Mr. Heneage,
M.P., Mr. C. S. Read, Mr. J. C. Hempson, Mr. C.
Howard, Mr. Bell (Newcastle), Mr. W. Stratton, Major
Craigie, Mr. Bear, and other well-known agriculturists.
Mr. Druce began by saying that it was 21 years
since the subject of a Ministry of Agriculture was
brought before the club,- and the consideration which
had been shown to the wants of the farmer class
showed that by persistent effort even the British
farmer might at last get what he wanted, although he
was quiet and well-behaved, and did not, as was
said last year, make himself "nasty." The speaker
went on to view the proposals of two de-
cades ago, and the steps which had been taken in
the way of inquiries, ccmmissions, and resolutions of
Parliament to influence the Legislature. What was
wanted in an Agricultural Department was something
more than the present Agricultural Department of the
Privy Council. They wanted all matters connected
with agriculture to be vested in a special department.
The department should undertake the entire super-
vision comiected with the importation and the transit
of live stock. The carrying out of the statutory
regulations affecting the importation of cattle from
abroad should be intrusted to the new department,
and he would intrust to it the stamping out of all
contagious cattre diseases at home. Uniformity was
needed in this matter in place of the contradictory
regulations made by the local authorities. Then the
collection and publication of agricultural statistics
should be left in the bands of the new department,
which should also collect and publish statistics re-
lating to the agriculture of our colonies and of other
countries. Then the new Emigration Bureau might be
attached to the Agricultural Department. The depart-
ment should also include the Land Commission, and
he considered it should have the supervision of the
arterial drainage of the country—an important paint,
of which we had evidence a few years ago when we
suffered so much from excessive rains, and when
more than one attempt was made to pass a Rivers or
Prevention of Floods Bill into an Act. The functions
of the recently-appointed Commission on Improving
the Breed of Horses might also be transferred to the
new department, which should also take care
that the provisions of the Acts which prohibited
adulteration were properly carried out. He would
give to the department the charge of our public
forests, which, he said, had been much neglected,
and it was time we followed in this direction the
example of India, France, and other countries.
To the same department should be intrusted the
supervision of the game laws and the regulation of
allotments and cow pastures. In conclusion he held
that the department should have the power of carry-
ing out experiments, such as those carried out by Sir
John Lawes and the Duke of Bedford. He concluded
by urging that the department should be one for agri-
culture alone, and not be a mixed one with commerce,
which was of sufficient importance to have a depart-
ment by itself. Mr. Heneage, M.P., in moving a vote
of thanks to Mr. Druce, supported most of his views,
but thought a combined department would be more
powerful than a separate one. Mr. C. S. Read
seconded the motion, and commented upon what he
considered the misuse of agricultural statistics, which,
he said, could be turned to give the view that there
was no agricultural depression. He thought that main
roads as well as arterial drainage should be under the
new department, which he &moldered essential, and
should be under a responsible Minister. Sir R. Paget,
M.P., also agreed with the general conclusions of Mr.
Druce, and urged that all the agricultural bodies
should strive to present to the Government an unani-
mous wish for a separate Department of Agriculture,
independent of any other subject. He insisted that
the legislation on matters connected with the land
and the interests of agriculture justified the forma-
tion of such a department. He congratulated the club
upon the fact that the proposed new department,
after many years of action, was now in sight. Other
speakers gave support to Mr. Druce's views, and the
thanks of the club were voted to him.