The Irish Land Acts/Irish Land Act, 1909
SECTION XIV.
Irish Land Act, 1909 (Mr. Birrell's Act).
After six years' experience of the Act of 1903 it became evident that further legislation was required if Land Purchase was to go on. In two important matters Mr. Wyndham's Act broke down. Under the financial provisions of the Act the money required for advances to enable tenants to purchase their holdings was provided by the issue of a stock bearing interest at 2¾ per cent. But it turned out that at no time after the passing of the Act could the money be raised on these terms, except at a large discount, averaging over 12 per cent. The Act provided that a fund, known as the Irish Development Grant, should bear any loss due to the issue of stock at a discount. This fund made available a sum of £160,000 a year. The first issue of stock under the Wyndham Act was made at 87, or a discount of 13 per cent. Thus, to provide £100 in cash over £113 of stock had to be issued. The interest on this "excess stock" was not paid by the tenant purchasers, and was to be provided for out of the Development Grant so long as that fund was available, and afterwards would fall on the Guarantee Fund, which meant the Irish ratepayer. In the year 1909 it, however, appeared that the charge for "excess stock" necessitated by the continual flotation of stock at a large discount had so eaten into the Development Grant that that fund had become exhausted, and consequently all subsequent issues of stock for land purchase purposes would have to be made at the expense of the ratepayers. Agreements amounting to 56 millions of purchase money were pending. To finance these agreements a sum of about £250,000 a year for the period of 68½ years would have to be provided by Irish ratepayers, and were all the agricultural land in Ireland to be sold the charge on the ratepayers would amount to an annual sum of £877,000.
It became evident that the Irish ratepayers would not tolerate land purchase on these terms. Mr. Birrell, accordingly, by his Land Act, passed in December, 1909, provided that the charge for excess stock to finance all pending purchase agreements should be provided by the Treasury instead of the ratepayers, thus relieving the latter of a capital sum that might exceed over £7,000,000. As regards future purchase agreements, the Act provided that the vendors should be paid in 3 per cent. Stock, and that purchasers should pay an annuity of 3½ per cent, instead of 3¼ per cent.
The other matter in which the Act of 1903 broke down was as regards the provision of the bonus. A sum of 12 millions was provided by Mr. Wyndham for the purpose of encouraging landlords to sell. On the assumption that £100,000,000 would be sufficient to complete land purchase, this bonus fund was distributed at the rate of 12 per cent. on the purchase money advanced. This rate was to be continued for a period of five years. On the expiration of that period (1st November, 1908) it was found that proceedings for sale of estate had been instituted to an amount of between 70 and 80 millions, and that the amount remaining to be sold would probably approximate to another 80 millions. Consequently the Treasury, in accordance with powers given them in the 1903 Act, reduced the percentage from 12 to 3 per cent., at which rate it would remain for at least five years were a new Act not passed. Mr. Birrell's Act, however, removed the 13 million limit, and provided for the payment of a graduated bonus, at rates ranging from 3 to 18 per cent., according to the number of years' purchase of the rent at which the landlords sell. The old rate of bonus tempted landlords to stand out for a high price: the new graduated rate offers an inducement to them to sell at a low price. It was calculated that under the new provisions the capital sum for bonus will amount to at least 15 millions, which will cost over 17 millions, owing to the necessity for excess stock.