New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-14

INTRODUCED by GERALD BALFOUR IN
THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.
sIoNs OF THE MEASURE WHICH HE BE-
LIEXES WILL BE BENEFICIAL TO

THE CHIEF SECRETARY EXPLAINS THE PROVI-
sIoNs OF THE MEASURE. WHICH HE BE-
LIEvEs WILL BE BENEFICIAL TO
BOTH LANDLORD AND TENANT
London. April 1s.--In the House OF Commons
tonight Gerald Balfour. Chief Secretary for Ire
land. introduced the Irish Land bill. In doing
so he referred TO It's complex and intricate char
acter. and said 1t more like a collection Of
small bills than a comprehensive measure formed
to carry out a basic proposal. The Land act OF
1884, he added had initiated an agrarian revou-
tion. Transforming the system OF land tenure.
During the last fifteen years there had been re-
duction Of agricultural values. which nobody In
1881 expected. This had added to the difficulty
OF the questions involved In settlement Of the
land question. The keystone Of the Unionist
policy since 1881 had been TO establish a peasant
proprietary In Ireland. and single instead OF
dual ownership OF land This bill aimed to be
the final goal Of Irish lard legislation.
Mr.. Balfour reviewed the effects Of the success
siye land acts as tending to extend the holdings
OF farmers and peasants He held that the Ash
bourne act Of 1885 better assisted to the purchase
OF land than the act Of 1891. The present meas
ure would carry out the best principles Of the
Ashbourne act would adopt several OF the
features Of Mr.. Morleys bill Of 1885, and would
Of previous acts and facilitate working purchase
system The clauses adopted from Mr.. Morley's
bill included the provisions defining the legal post
tion of a tenant at the crd OF the statutory term
which every admitted was necessary In order
TO remove doubts In reixing the judicial rents
The next clause made valid tenarcy holding.
despite the fact that 1t nigh; have been subet
without the assent Of the superior landlord II II
appeared that the landlord had passvely
qulesced. The nest clause adopted Mr. Morley's
provision to prevent lessee when fair rent
had been fixed from being obliged to pay rent on
his improvements.
Regarding arrears. the bill proposed that a
tenant who was able could In all cases redeem
his holding by the payraert OF two years ar
rears. leaving the landlord to recover arrears
beyond this perioi by ordinary procedure. The
bill! did not abolish the landlords right OF pre-
emptior
Regarding compensati-r or improvements the
bill provided that after allowance had been
made to a tenan; for improvements the court
couli award furtt u compensation II 1t de-
cided tina. the tena had not received equitable
compensation.
The schema FOR fixing the judicial rents pro-
posed term OF thirty years duration. but this
would be variable every fv" years on the applica-
tion Of either landlord or tenant The Land Com
mission could also vary the rent under a report
OF the Commissioners according 10 the various
values OF the products OF the land and the
effect of such variation the fairness OF the
rem. The landlord and tenant nigh. them
selves agree - vary the rent In ratio 10 the
variation in the prices OF proluc,a
In regard 10 tn, purchase OF land, Mr. Bal
four said that whereas the prefen, time for the
repayment OF the sum advanc q for purchase
extended over forty-nine years In continuous pay
ments at 4 per cent interest. the present blu
proposed to extend the period 10 seventy years.
Another important proposal aimed TO strength
en- the Land Commission by enabling an inter
charge OF functions between the officials Of the
Commission and the Landed Estates Court. Othe-
provisions smplified the procedure. enabling
tenants to purchase and landlords To sell with
out the coming OF n sub commission
In closing. Mr.. Balfour said that the bill Nigh.
not be all that the Nationalists wanted. but he
held that Il would be fair and beneficial TO both
landlord and tenant
John Morley. Chief Secretary for Ireland In
the last Liberal Government. said he was pleased
with parts Of the bill. chiefly those which had
been adopted from the Liberal bill He was dis
appointed with the other clarses. part Of which
were unworkabe. The fair-rent proposals were
by far the most important. He predicted that
these would be passed In an improved forri. and
that the remaining clauses would be postponed
at the pleasure Of the House
John Dillon. lcade- OF the Anti-Parnellites. said
that Mr.. Baifoug', speech proved that this
ParlIame-' Incapable o, dealing with the
question. The irish would be great!T disap-
pointed by the bill.
The bill then passed It's first reading. and the
second reading was fixed for April q.