On Wednesday Mr. Wyndham announced certain modifica- tions in the
Irish Land Bill, the effect of which will be to remove the objections of the Nationalist Members, while at the same time not alienating the support of the landlords for the measure. To all appearance, that is, the Bill will pass through the Commons without further friction. Without going into the technicalities of the measure, we may say of the amendments that they, in effect, abolish the minimum price, or rather substitute for it the approval of the Land Commis- sioners to schemes of purchase. Under the Bill as amended tenants and landlords of all kinds will be able to make any terms they like provided they can satisfy the Land Commie. sioners that the interests of reversioners and encumbrancers have not suffered. The landlords no doubt needed a wall against which they could set their backs in case of attempts to beat prices down unfairly; but we do not see why the Land Commissioners should not provide quite as good a wall as a minimum price.
Previous page
