The Lords had quite a pleasant evening on Thursday. They
assembled in great force, chatted over the details of the Tenant -right Bill very amicably and with a good deal of knowledge, and swept it with one clause reserved, the selection of the County-Court Judges to hear appeals through Committee in a night. The value at stake may sometimes require the decision -of a superior Judge. The only serious alteration was a clause making the Bill, subject to any written contract, completely pro- spective,—its provisions, for example, taking effect, in the ease of yearly tenants, "after the end of the first year of tenancy begun and completed after the commencement" of the Act. It would seem that, contrary to the belief of most observers, the Bill is to go down to the Lower House, where the contest will be much sharper, and where, if we are not misinformed, it will be proposed to make the Act compulsory, but not applicable to leasehold tenancies of twenty - one years and upwards, framed upon Lord Leicester's plan. That is a fair exemption, as it releases good landlords from worrying supervision, while not tempting bad landlords to contract themselves out of the law. The suggestion has also the advantage of being in accordance -with Irish precedent.
Previous page
