The Sun.
London, England, 1870-06-28 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS.—MONDAY.
The Lord Chancellor took his seat on the woolsack at
five o'clock.
DEATH OF THE EARL OF CLARENDON.
Earl GRANVILLE, in asking Lord Westbury to postpone
the motion which stood in his name, expressed the great
loss the Sovereign, the Government, and the country had
sustained by the death of the Earl of Clarendon, which
took place that morning. The noble earl then passed a
very high tribute of praise on the great and singular
ability of the deceased nobleman, and to the high estima-
tion in which he had been held by the sovereigns of
Europe, and expressed the deepest regret at the loss of se
great and distinguished a colleague. He said he was only
prevented moving the adjournment of the House by its
creating a precedent which it might not be advisable to
follow.—The Duke of Richmond, the Earl of Derby, and
Lord Cowley gave expression to their deep regret at the
great loss the public service had sustained by the sudden

death of the noble earl.
The Benefices Resignation Bill then passed through

committee.
The third reading of the Sequestration Bill was post-

poned.
The Felony Bill was read a third time and passed.
THE IRISH LAND BILL. _ .

Their lordships then went into committee on this bill,
resuming -at clause 4. The first amendment made was
that moved by the Marquis of Clanricarde, who limited
under certain cases compensation for improvements
made twenty years before any claim for com-
pensation shall have been made. An amendment
was also moved to the clause by Lord Cloncurry,
to the effect that a tenant should not be en-
titled to compensation in respect of any improvements
made with money advanced by the Board of Works.—A
discussion ensued, but as Earl Granville said the proposal
should be thought over before the bringing up of the re-
port the amendment was not pressed.—A number of
trifling amendments were then severally proposed, but all
of them were withdrawn with the exception of one by
Lord Dunsany, preventing any tenant or occupier, with
out the previous consent in writing of the landlord,
breaking up or tilling any land usually let as grazing or
grass land, or let expressly as grazing or meadow land, or
from cutting down timber.—An amendment was then
moved by the Duke of, Richmond to insert at the end of
the clause a proviso to the effect that twenty years' en-
joyment by the tenant or his predecessors in title should
extinguish his claim under the clause in the case of all
improvements other than permanent buildings and recla-
mation of waste lands ; that an enjoyment of 41 years
should extinguish the claim in case of permanent
buildings ; and that 31 years' enjoyment should ex-
tinguish the claim in respect of the reclamation of waste
lands.—The Earl of Kimberley thought that the principle
which ought to be recognised in the matter of compensa-
tion was that the landlord should pay the tenant the
then value of the improvements at the expiration of the
contract, and the introduction of the element of time as
suggested in the amendment proposed by the noble duke
would only tend to complicate the matter. A discussion
followed, but the amendment was withdrawn, the noble
duke reserving the right of re-introducing it at a future
stage if he should think it necessary. The clause was
then agreed to.
On clause 5 being proposed the Marquis of Clamicarde
moved an amendment omitting all the words after the
word " usage " for the purpose of inserting the following :
" All claims for improvements under this act, put forward
either by landlord or tenant, shall be proved by evidence,
and such evidence shall be subject to appeal."—Lord
O'Hagan said that evidence where the improvements had
been effected by the landlords could easily be brought
forward, they could call their agents or workmen or produce
their accounts, but no such evidence could be put forward
by the tenants, because they kept no records of the cost
ofgthe improvements, as they were works which extended
over very long periods, and had been effected by the
united efforts of their families. It would be extremely
unfair to throw the burthen of proof on the tenants, espe-
cially where the presumption was in their favour. He
was quite certain 130 landlord in Ireland would suffer any
injustice from the clause remaining as it at present stood.
—The Duke of Richmond thought it somewhat novel to
hear a noble and learned lord stating that a person making
a claim should not be called upon to prove it by evidence.
He was not disposed to agree that the presumption as to
improvement was in favour of the tenant, and he felt that
various difficulties would arise, for the landlord was called
to produce his books to show the cost of any particular
improvement he had effected.—Earl Granville strongly
objected to the amendment as one-sided and unfair.—
The Earl of Bessborough thought the landlords could
easily prove the cost of their improvements, so that if
the amendment proposed was made he considered a
great' injustice would be done to the tenants.—Lord
Chelmsford supported the proposed amendment, whilst
the Marquis of Lansdowne said if it was carried
it would, to a certain extent, increase the difficulty that
"would arise from the alteration that had already been
made in the bill, and be a great injustice to the tenants
of Ireland. Lord Cairns insisted that the making the
books of the agents evidence of improvements against the
tenants was an injustice to the tenant, and a proposal to
which he should offer the strongest opposition. That
being so with respect to one side, he did not see why the
tenants' books should be taken as evidence against the
landlord.—The Marquis of Clanricarde, after some dis-
cussion, altered his amendment by striking out that part
of it relating to appeal. Their lordships divided, when
there appeared—
For the amendment ... ... 122
Against it . ... •.. ... 83

The amendment was therefor e carried by a majority of
39.—The Duke of Richmond then moved an addition to
the clause permitting landlords and tenants to file
schedules in the landed estates courts claiming improve-
ments, such schedules to be prim[ facie evidence of the
improvements having been made as specified, notice being
given by the landlord to the tenant of intention to fill
such schedule, the tenant being at liberty to dispute the
claim in the Civil Bill Court.—Lord Athlumney thought
the effect of the amendinent, if made, would lead to endless
preliminary disputes arising between landlord and tenant.
—Earl Granville said he did not approve of the proposed
addition to the clause, but he should not put their lord-
ships to the trouble of dividing.—The words were then
added, and the clause, as amended, was ordered to stand
part of the bill.
Clause 6 was agreed to, with a verbal amendment : so
alio was clause 7.—On clause 8 being proposed, the Duke
of Richmond moved an amendment to the effect that
ejectment for non-payment of rent or for breach of any
condition which should .appear to the judge before whom
the ejection was tried to be a reasonable condition should
not be deemed disturbance of the tenant by act of the
landlord.—The Marquis of Salisbury condemned this
clause as one of the black parts of the bill.—The Earl of
Kimberley said the provision was open to some of the
exceptions of the noble marquis, but it was framed to
meet extreme cases.—Earl Granville said he could not
accept the amendment, but he would not put their lord-
ships to the trouble of dividing.—The words were then
added to the clause. which was then ordered to stand
part of the bill. Clause 9 was agreed to.
Their lordships rose at five minutes to one.