5 NOVEMBER 1881, Page 1

The attraction of the Irish Land Act is stron g er than

the attraction of the Land League. In two of the very earliest cases submitted to them, the Deputy Commissioners have decided that rent ought to be reduced from 25 to 30 per cent., and that every improvement which the landlord cannot prove to be his -own, must be held to be the tenant's. The presumption of law is in their favour. There will be appeals from both decisions, but the effect of them has been to make all tenants so anxious to bring cases, that it is feared the Land Courts will be drowned. Ten thousand cases are expected from Clare alone. The Land Leaguers say this is their doing, as they intend to swamp the Courts; but as they have just ordered "no rents" to be paid, this is nonsense. The Courts will not be swamped, though they may need strengthening, as each case will settle a group of similar cases. It is to be noted that a reduction of even 30 per -cent. is not greater than the average reduction on the English lettings of the year, effected without any Land Act at all. The only bad feature in the movement, therefore, is the immense slice out of Irish savings which the attorneys will pocket. They will soon be as prosperous as the bacon-dealers.