season.”  A report to his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant was agreed to.  It was based upon the sound, common-sense principle, “that the labour for which the land is compelled to pay, should be applied in developing the productive powers of the land.”  From this stand-point they proceed to make practical suggestions, as to the manner in which its principle is to be carried out.  Assuming that a rate sufficient to provide for the employment of labour should be levied in each district, and that this labour should be paid for by landlord and occupier, according to the Poor Law valuation, as enacted by the Labour-rate Act, they suggest: 

1.  That instead of the money being taken from the farmers, and wasted in useless and unproductive works, each person liable to pay this rate should have the option of expending it upon his own land, in additional labour, upon works tending, as far as possible, to promote the increased production of food; and that the most suitable and profitable works in each locality would be best ascertained by inviting proposals from the ratepayers—­each for his own land. 2.  That in the event of landlord and tenant not agreeing in the works to be undertaken, each should be entitled to expend the portion of rate paid by himself.  These suggestions were certainly calculated to avert the most threatening danger of the moment—­the danger of not having sufficient attention paid to the cultivation of the land, in order to produce food for the coming year. 3.  Those ratepayers next express their opinion, that landlords and others, having sufficient interest in lands, should be encouraged by the offer of loans to undertake extensive and permanent profitable improvements, such as the draining and reclaiming of land—­the making of roads to come under the designation of profitable improvements, only so far as they would be the means of facilitating cultivation.  All the works undertaken to be under the superintendence of the Board of Works. 4.  The ruling and controlling power in the case to be a local committee of landlords and ratepayers, which committee, on the completion of each work within the time agreed upon, should have notice to that effect; and who should have power to order an inspection of such works, if they thought it necessary.  Upon being satisfied that the outlay was fairly and honestly made, according to the terms of agreement, a certificate to be given to that effect, which should be taken in payment of the rate.  The Kells and Fore Committee add, with truth, that this labour, being carried on under the ordinary relations of employer and employed, would be free from the difficulties of superintendence, and the demoralizing effects which “charity works” are apt to produce in the labourer.