Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1913-03-14
IRISH LAND REFORMS
Conqested Districts Board Has
Been Doing Good Work.
Face of Country ls Now Changed
Tenants Given Enlarged Holdings
and Better Dweillnss-Clanrl-
carde Still Stubborn.

Dublin.-The process Of redeemlng
the agricultural slums" of the west
and south of Ireland goes on apace.
When the land act Of 1903 was passing
through the house OF commons the
chief secretary, Mr. Wyndham, plead
ed for free hand to redeem these
rotten and rigid communities, as ne
called them. He got all the powers ne
asked for, but they proved OF little
avail AS soon as the act was passed
the well-to-do farmers rushed IN Win
purchase agreements and the tenants
on the congested estates were forgot
ten.
It was not till the amending land
act was passed In 1909 that any Dig
effort could be made to deal with tnls
problem. The amending act increased
the funds and the powers OF the con-
gested districts board and the board
has been going ahead with schemes
at a great rate since. In Its report
for the year 1912 the board states
that 1t has purchased some OF the
poorest estates on the western sea-
board in the counties Of Donegal
Mayo, Galway, Glare, Kerry and West
Cork and are going on with schemes
for the Improvement or enlargement
of the holdings and dwellings.
The officers have been SO busy In
specting lands for the purpose OF pur-
chase and resale to the tenants az
economic holdings that the actuai
transfer to the tenants is not being
effected as rapidly as could be de-
sired. At present some 10000 ten
ants are paying rent to the board
pending the Improvement and resale
of the holdings, the annual rental be-
ing between 100000 and $S0O.oOo.
There are still about 100000 acres OF
unsold land in the congested districts,
the purchase price OF which Is estt
mated at ss0,O00,000.
The board is trying to get posses
sion of all this land as fast as 1t can.
AS a rule 1t has not found 1t neces-
sary to put its powers of compulsion
into force. but In the case Of the es-
tates OF the marquis Of Clanricarde 1t
Is being fought every inch Of the way.
Some of the flercest struggles OF the
land war took place on these estates
in County Galway and the representa-
tives of the dispossessed tenants are
now waiting to have the lands taken
from the landlord and restored to
them. The landlord would not listen
to offers of purchase by the board.
The board has set the law In motion
to acquire the lands compulsorily and
the first steps in the courts have been
taken already.
The marquis Of Clanricarde Is now
seeking an Injunction to restrain thH
estates commissioners and the board
frCm taking the lands compulsorily.
and even If he is defeated In these
proceedings he can cause further de-
lay by taking the case to the court
of appeal. 1t was his unwillingness
to listen to any proposals for the re-
storation Of the evicted tenants on his
estates that induced parliament to
grant compulsory powers to the con-
gested districts board. 1t will be a
queer anomaly, therefore, If he sue.
ceeds in preventing this old sore OF
the land war from being healed. The
board states that 1t Is quite inpossi-
Bile to conjecture when q final de-
cision may be obtained In the case.
The holdings along the western sea.
shore are very small and Of very poor
land and the conditions under which
the occupiers and their families live
are appalling. The dwelling houses
are In many cases mere insanitary
huts unfit for pigs. 1t is here that
the work of the board has been most
beneficial. Wherever the members
have been able to acquire untenanted
land alongside an estate of that kind
they have been able to lift the people
out of their wretchedness and poverty
The farms are rearranged and new
houses built and the farmers and their
families are given instruction on the
management of the new farms.
In some districts, particularly those
situated inland, where grazing land
was available in large tracts for pur.
chase and addition to the tenants
holdings, the whole face of the coun-
try has been changed by the opera
tions of the board Well kept and
we'll cultivated farms are to be seen
instead OF the wretched holdings OF
the past. and neat. clean houses re-
place the mud novels In which the
people used to live. The congested
districts board also assists in develop
ing cottage industries and sea fish
cries. but It's chief work Is land set
tlement. in which 1t has been very
successful