Mr. Lambert, the Member for South Moulton, on Wednes- day
moved the second reading of his Bill for improving land- tenure. Its object is to give more security to farming tenants, and it goes very far. The tenant, for instance, when departing or dispossessed is to have compensation for his "continuous good farming," though clearly that is implied in every letting contract ; he is authorised to make " improve- ments" against hie landlord's will if an arbitrator, whom he himself calls in, says the improvement will increase the value of the estate; he may lay down permanent pasture without consent, and be repaid his expenses ; he may crop his land as he pleases, and he may even claim compensation for corn consumed on the farm. The general principle of the Bill is, in fact, to fine the landlord heavily because his tenant goes away, even if he goes of his own accord, and to supersede free contract by a compulsory system of tenant-right. The only new privilege given to the landlord is that of demanding compensation for bad farming, which is only of value if the bad farmer is solvent, and in return the right of distraining is abolished. The Bill was sharply criticised, especially by Captain Bethell, who showed that a farmer under it might turn an arable farm into a dairy-farm without consent ; but was supported by the Minister of Agriculture "in principle," and the second reading was carried by a vote of 218 to 189.
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