The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-01-27 00:00:00

SIR JOHN PAKINGTON ON ENGLISH
TENANT RIGHT.

At the annual meeting of the Worcestershire
i Chamber of Agriculture, n the " Crown " Hotel,
Worcester, on Saturday night, Sir John Pakington
expressed the opinion that the time was come for the
adoption of a measure of English tenant right. He
added :

"I do not think we shall learn anything from Ireland.
while if we were to adopt any part of the Irish system, there
Is one point on which I confess I should feel great anxiety as
a landlord—and that is, that amongst the many liabilities
under which a landlord has formerly been in this country.
I should he extremely sorry myself to add to that
the liability of being shot, which I am sorry to
say is one of the most conspicuous liabilities to which
an Irish landlord is subject ',hear, hear, and laughter).
I do not wish for any improvement in agriculture tending
in that direction. But, gentlemen, to be more serious, I
entirely feel for the true interest of all connected with the
land. The more we in a national, reasonable manner ap-
proach the system of tenant right—l have no hesitation in
using the words—the more we shall drawlandlord and tenant
together, and the better we shall consult the real interests
I of both. Now, my opinion is, that we may sum up its object
—whether you calla compensation for unexhausted improve-
ments 'or tenant right—in one simple, concise, but very
comprehensive word, and that word is security.' A great
change, in my opinion, has taken since the repeal of the
corn laws, not only In the agriculture of this country,
but in the general status of the British farmer, and
hope that improvement may go on steadily increasing
year by year. What is the reason—the main reason—of
the fact which we must all admit, that our neighbonrs on
the other side of the Tweed have rather shown in advance
of us in farming. I believe the real cause of this superiority
has arisen from the fact that they have a system of security
in that country, and the consequence has been that the
capital has found its way to the cultivation of the soil, and
you have a body of highly educated, able tenant farmers
availing themselves of the superior soil, and of the security
which long leases has given them. No prudent man will
invest a great capital in any trade whatever unless he sees
his way to a fair return for that capital. Therefore,
I say, I care not whether you call it tenant.right,br whether
you call it compensation, the principle is security. Without
that principle you will not have high fanning. Unless you
have high farming yea will not have that state of cultivation
which is profitable either to tenant or landlord, and equally to
the interest of both. We ought to have &system under which
the tenant shall not be afraid to invest his capital in the soil,
and whether that is done in the shape of compensation for no-
exhausted improvements, or of long leases with proper cove-
nants, is, I think, comparatively an unimportant question. I
have never varied in my opinion that it is to the interest of us
all that weshould, inn spirit of moderation, and in a spirit of
justice, promote the improvement of agriculture, and i am
quite sure I quite agree with you—we cannot better promote
the Improvement of agricalture in any way thanby laying down
distinctly that great principle which I hope we shall not
cease to promote in a fairsind moderate spirit, looking to the
interests of all—namely, that in some shape or other the
tenant has a right—for his own interest and for the interest
of his landlord,--to have security for the return of the capital
he embarks in the soil." (Applause.)