THE O'DONOGHOEsaid, pursuant to notice, he rose to call the attention of the Government to the relations subsisting between Landlords and Tenants in Ireland, He was actuated by a desire to impress upon the Government the necessity of dealing promptly and fairly with this question. He hoped that their course would at least be plain and intelligible, and that if they did not think it wise to go as far as the country wished and expected, they would not seek to take refuge in a policy of disingenuous evasion. If the Government meant well they would be outspoken and candid. He would recommend them not to take fifteen months to prepare a Bill on this subject, but keeping in view 1303 the conduct of their predecessors upon this subject, to take a course exactly the contrary. What Ireland wanted was a plain and simple Bill, which would give the occupier a legal claim for compensation for improvements. He saw no necessity for a leasing powers Bill, as ninety-nine out of every hundred landlords already had such powers. A few days ago a case came before the Master of the Rolls, in Ireland, in which a tenant who had been evicted claimed compensation for a considerable outlay of money in the shape of improvements which greatly enhanced the value of the land. The learned Judge was obliged to be guided by the rules of law and to decide against the claim of the tenant; but in giving his decision he emphatically expressed his regret at the state of the law, which compelled him to declare in favour of an injustice in a place which was supposed to be the throne of justice itself, He (the O'Donoghoe) thought that the principle of compensation should be also retrospective, though limited to a certain number of years. On the success of such a measure he believed depended the happiness and prosperity of Ireland.
§ MR. CARDWELLsaid, that this interesting subject was one which had been brought under the consideration of the House every year during the whole time since he had the honour of being a Member. It had been undertaken by every Government without success. He had the honour to live in friendship with the distinguished Judge to whom the hon. Gentleman referred. Amongst the services rendered by that eminent individual was the framing of a Bill on this subject. What the present Government intended to do was to give their best attention to a subject of so much difficulty. If its difficulty had been in any degree removed by their predecessors having endeavoured to deal with it, the task which the present Government had undertaken might, perhaps, be facilitated. At all events, they had undertaken it conscious of its difficulty, desiring to overcome that difficulty if they could by reasonable precautions, and by framing a measure which might accomplish its object and do justice to both parties. At the present stage of their proceedings he hoped that the hon. Gentleman would not require him to say more on the subject.
§ Motion agreed to.
§ House at rising to adjourn till Monday next.