Chapter V

THE QUESTION OF THE IRISH LAND (_continued_)--THE ADMINISTRATION
OF THE IRISH LAND ACTS

The administration of the Land Act of 1870 in the main
good--Difficulty about claims for tenants' improvements--The
administration of the Land Act of 1881, and of its
supplements--The Land Commission and its Sub-Commissions--
Allowances to be made for these tribunals--Principles which
the Land Commission should have adopted in fixing 'fair
rents'--The procedure and practice it ought to have
established--It made mistakes as to both--The nature of the
Sub-Commission Courts--This was objectionable in the highest
degree--These Courts have, however unconsciously, done grave
wrong to Irish landlords--Causes of this--Characteristics of
their proceedings--They disregarded the principles they
ought to have followed, and adopted faulty and erroneous
methods--Different illustrations of these grave mistakes--
The Land Commission and appeals as to 'fair rent'--Importance
of this subject--Faulty procedure of the Land Commission in
appeals--Valuers--The second Land Commission--Its procedure
worse than that of the first--Theory of occupation right--
This another wrong done to landlords--The Fry Commission and
its report--Confiscation of the property of Irish
landlords--The proofs of this--Apologies made for the Land
Commission--The administration of the Land Purchase Acts 188-229