The sun., 1903-03-26
RELIEF FOR IRISH TENANTS.
NEW l. AND BIL.L CARRIES FREE
GRANT or 500, ,OOO, 900.
Government Credit Also Exteuded-Nr
Wyndham Presents the Government
Pian-General Opinion Of Irish Mem
bers Observation-Disclosures Reserved.



Purchase bill was introduced in the Houi
Of Commons this afternoon.
Mr.. George Wyndham. Chief Secretar
for Ireland. opened his statement by d'
scribiag the measure as a bill to amend Oh
law of occupation and ownership Of land
Ireland. The public had been anxiou
TO see IL the Government would deal wit
the matter by credit alone or would ais
give cash aid. The Government though
such aid was necessary lcheersl but
was subsidiary in the bill and the Govern
ment attached more Importance to tn
credit than the cash part The bill hat
been framed with the idea that both cssl
and credit were necessary.
The bill. he explained, proposed FREE
grant Of EI2 600 900 Advances would b'
made in cash, but TO provide the cash th'
Government would issue a new capita
stock bearing q. per cent. interest and no
redeemable for thirty years The guar
sntee Mould be the Consolidated Fund
In order partially 10 meet the charge
on the Treasury, the Irish Government
would make immediate reductions oil
ESQ., 600 annually. The purchaser would
repay the principal and interest at = rate
OF 81 per cent on the purchase price.
Mr.. Wyndham explained that El50 600 600
could safely be advanced on Irish land,
but he did not think flOo, 100000 would be
involved under the bill.
Allotments OF the free grant would
be made by paying a percentage Of the
purchase money to the vendor. The per-
centage would be largest on small estates
and smallea on large ones. For example,
1t would be Is per cent. when the purchase
price was f5,0O0, 10 per cent. when it was
10000. 9 per cent. when II was f40.OO0
and per cent. for sums over f4O,Ooo.
Mr.. Wyndham said the sales would be
based on seoond-term rents. The Govern
ment would make advances up TO $500 In
respect to new holdings in congested dis
tricts and Rl 100 in non-congested districts.
The advances to the landlords would be up
TO one-third Of the aggregate value Of the
estate, or up to 100000
The new stock would come into opera
ton after Nov. I. 1903. The question of
loan would not arise until next winter
Not moro than f5 900 600 Of the stock ~o uld
come on the market In any one OF the first
three years after the passage Of the bill.
The estate commissioners would be en-
powered TO purchase estates from land
lords, but not unless three-fourths OF
the tenants in number and value agreed
70 the plain meaning Of the arrangement
for paying the landlords. TIE Government
was Of opinion that, subject TO important
notifications, the period Of repayment
should be sixty-eight and one-half years.
Mr.. Wyndham said that while land in
England was bought or hired in the free
market such state of things was impossible
In Ireland. where 1t was prohibited by forty |
express enactments Of the House. These |
enactments were of two kinds. One re- |
lated to judicial determinations OF rents.
1t failed from want Of completeness. The |
other related TO an ad vance of State money /
TO enable the tenants to purchase their hold
tngs. This latter had invariably been sue
osssful All parties, the Secretary said. de-
sired lasting peace on the land question.
By the aid Of the State nearly $4,000
tenants had bought their holdings and the
State had not lost halfpenny. Irish
cheers.l Public sentiment. Mr.. wyndham
said supported the repayment Of this money
That was q moral security that ought not
10 be underestimated. But there was also
material security in the land itself. and that
favored . Parliamentary grant In aid Of
the tenants. He found from the customs
returns that there were 400, Sol holdings in
Of which SO per cent. were valued
the agrsrian condition Of Ireland must be
built up from the bottom.
Mr.. Wyndham said that in view of the
strong Recommendation made by the land
lords and tenants joint conference the
proposed TO prsvid. hat the
landlord may make his own arra gernents
With his tenants II these are in accordance
with the present bill. The Government in
that case would appoint estate coInInis-
stoners TO superintend such transactions.
Ihsse commissioners would have admins
,utive but not judicial functions IL was
not the policy u the Government to -I-
rAtrists the landlords. but To max. II poe
Hibls for thsm To remain IN Ireland and
Etvs stimulus 10 industry Ia that country
". Wyndham ANNOUNCED that the estate
who would administer the
asv schene would be Frederick Wrench,
nov one of tbs Irsh Land Commissioner,
1chas Finunan- ~ the Statistical Depart
nont and W n baily Assistant Land Com
1ks<iopsr. The Government. hs said. would
nhrgs the credit Of . oong.sled district
snasd. and. instead ~ buying estates her.
md tbsrs and selling them as quickly a.
pDssikke. n would le authorized 20 bu, n