LAND-OWNERS IN IRELAND.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, 20 April 1881, Page 3

LAND-OWNERS IN IRELAND.

» (Hokitika Star.) Most of these proprietors retain possession of the vast estates tbus acquired, to this day; and the great majority of them do not reside in Ireland j while not a few of them bnve never seen the country in their lives Something like £10,000000 of money leaves Ireland cv ry year, in the shape of rent due to these landlords ; and _no return, whatever replaces I hia enormous annual drain on tbe resources of tbe people. Jet me give you, from tbe London Times of January last, an idea of the gigantic estates, owned by absentee and other JM*h laodloTclii : Wei-fiad that Lord Conybghara owns 152,300 arces in Donegal. ■ Lord Ltitrim owns 61,352 seres in Donegal. Mr K. Stewart owns 51,818 acres in Donegal Mr Packenbara owm 44 629 acres in Antrim, Sir R. Willace owns 58,655 acres to Antrim. Lord Sligo owns 115,881 acres in Mayo. Lord Dillion owns 83 749 acres in Mayo. Sir R. Palmer owns 80,990 acres in Mayo. Lord Leitrim owns 30,038 acres in Lei trim. Mr Berridge owns 159,898 acres in Gal way. Lord Clanvicarde owns 114,280 acres in Galway, Lord Dunsandle owns 63,330 acres in Galway. Tbe Duke of Leinster owns 97,227 acres in KiWare. Lord Bantry owns 189,500 acres in Cork. Eight other proprietors own 131, 616 acres in Cork; seven, absentia own 357050' acres in Mayo; nine absentees own 527,200 acres in Kerry ; and five persons own 191,020 acres in Downshire. I have taken these parti' culars, bere and there, through the Times list of Irish land owners, and could quote pretty neatly the same huge figures with regard to the proprietorship of almost ever County in Ireland. You will remember, too, that very many of the smaller estates of improvished proprietors were sold in the Encumbered Estates Court from 1853 upwards ; and were brought as commercial speculations, by gentle* men who came from Scotland and England for that purpose. These estates are also generally managed by agents— the owners of them do not live in the country; Altogether, we find that upwards of 6500 proprietors possessing 9,000,000 of acres do not reside on their properties. The result o : absenteeism is to throw the entire management of the estates into the hands of the agents, who frequently have otherwise no connection with the locality. Thus Captain Boycott, who led such a miserable life at Loach Mask, is an Englishman and is agent for Lord Erne, who has not visited the estate for seventeen years.