THE LANDLORD AND TENANT FARMER.

Evening Star, Issue 3239, 8 July 1873, Page 3

THE LANDLORD AND TENANT FARMER.

{From the Press.) The attention of public men in England is at the present time specially drawn to the unsatisfactory relations that exist between landlord and tenant-farmer; and it will be of considerable advantage to a young Colony like New Zealand to study closely the views that are promulgated with the avowed object of rendering these relations more equitable to both parties concerned. As agriculture is fast becoming one of the most prominent industries in this Province, Canterbury should be particularly interested in the movement, and may be led to avoid the confusion out of which it has now become an imperative necessity that the Home country must speedily extricate herself, A Chamber of Agriculture in one of the most important fanning counties in England has recently appointed a committee to report upon leases and compensation for unexhausted improvements; and as the recommendations of this committee will, we understand, form the basis of a Bill to be introduced into Parliament, we proceed to notice briefly some of the more salient points in the report. They have agreed that in the interests of the landlord and his incoming tenant, and especially for the benefit of the community at large, it is desirable that sufficient inducement should be held out to the outgoing tenant to farm the land, as well during the last four years as at any previous period of his occupation. With this abject they are of opinion that the principle of compensation for productive capital left in the soil by the outgoing tenant at the end of the term, should be introduced into all agricultural leases and agreements; and that the same principle should also hold good with the landlord for dilapidation and deterioration caused by default of the tenant. On the question of leases they consider that the term should be not more than twenty years, nor less than twelve years, and that all agricultural leases should be renewable at the request of the tenant; and with the consent of the landlord four years before the end of the term. And further that the old rent should be paid during the first four years of the now term, and during the remainder of the term such rent as may then lie agreed upon. Until within four years of the term, the tenant shall be at liberty to cultivate and manage the farm according to his own judgment, and have full power to dispose of all or any portion of tho produce of the farm by sale or otherwiso; the landlord having full power at any time to ascertain by arbitration whether the farm is properly cultivated. If the arbitrators decide in favor of tho tenant, the costs are to be paid by the landlord; but if the decision be otherwise, then the tenant is to pay the costs, and bx-ing the land into the same system provided for the last four years of the lease.

The question of compensation for unexhausted improvements is of course discussed more fully, and the resolutions are consequently more voluminous, and many are totally irrelevant as far as New Zealand will be concerned for the next fifty_ years at least. The first broad principle which the committee advocate is that the landlord should continue to bo di rectly responsible in all cases of compensation to the outgoing tenant. The improvements arc classified as temporary, durable, and permanent. Temporary improvements arc the purchase and application of manures and fertilisers, and the purchase of corn cake and other feeding stuffs consumed on the farm by live stock other than working horses. Durable improvements are subsoiling, getting up and removing stones, liming, chalking, marling, claying, moulding, and boning with undissolved bones. Permanent impvoremolds are reclaiming, levelling, planting (otherwise than ornamental), diaining, making or improving watercourses, works of irrigation, ponds or reservoirs, fences, roads, bridges, or the erection or enlargement of buildings. Compensation for temporary improvements is to extend not beyond the last two years : for durable improvements it is to be limited to the last two years ; and for permanent improvements it is to be limited to twenty years, except in the case of cottages or other permanent buildings, for which the limit is to be thirty years ; and no compensation is to be allowed for permanent improvements without the written consent of the landlord.

Several clauses are devoted to the question of compensation for artificial manures, and food wseil for which would of course ho out of place here ; but we may remark that the committee consider that the rate for compensation for town and farm yard manures (brought on to the farm) should be as follows Onefourth of the cost and carriage of the manure in the last year, ami one-eighth in the last year but one.

In all cases of compensation the improvements are tube left in good order and repair, and no payment will be made for any outlay which is not suitable to the holding, and has not increased its letting value, unless it has boon made with the written consent of the landlord. The landlord having had the first refusal, all buildings erected by the tenant without the consent of the landlord may bo removed by the tenant. With reference to farms let year byyear, the committee think it just and expedient that compensation for unexhausted improvements should form a part of yearly agreements; and, moreover, that such security to the capital

of the tenant is essentially needed, and that it is most desirable that, in the absence of the protection afforded by a long lease, some such security should be provided by legislative enactment. They arc further of opinion that in all agreements from year to year at least eighteen months’ notice should I e given. Some of our readers, out of curiosity, may wish to know their recommendations with regard to game. They consider that the right of the landlord to reserve winged game should be continued. With regard to hares, they recommend that the tenant should have the right to kill hares by coursing, and that any damage accruing from an excessive rpiantity of hares preserved by the landlord should be paid to_ the tenant by the landlord by moans of arbitration. They lastly consider that every tenant should effectually destroy all rabbits on bis farm. The committee rather vaguely acknowledge that there arc many other important provisions necessary in all leases and agreements, _ which are so self-evident that they consider it useless to enumerate them ; also, that many clauses now in use are well adapted for their special purposes; and that sundry smaller matters must vary in different localities with the size and nature of the farm. As we have noted above, the foregoing recommendations will, we are informed, form the basis of a Bill to be introduced into the English Parliament; and the fact that it is entrusted to such an authority on agricultural matters as Mr Clare Sewell Head, M.P., is sufficient authority for the soundness of most of the recommendations of tire committee. The same fact will perhaps invest the subject with additional interest to landlords and tenant-farmers here —a subject which must sooner or later bear more or less directly upon the ultimate prosperity of the entire Colony.