It would improve the soil, and
return the ratepayers a large interest for the capital expended. The
Board of Works, they suggest, might be empowered to postpone the public
works ordered by the presentment sessions, whenever they saw fit, and
also to suspend the portion of money voted for that purpose on any
townland, and have it applied to the carrying out of reproductive works,
according to the requisition of the owners and ratepayers of such
townland; such works, in every case, to be approved of by at least
three-fourths of the ratepayers.
Lord Bessborough gave a short, and, of course, a cautious answer to the
deputation, saying that he would give his best consideration to the
proposal; consult the Government, and in a few days let them know the
result. The "Labouchere Letter," authorizing reproductive works, was the
response to this memorial of the Royal Agricultural Society. But it
received another answer, and that from the Prime Minister himself. The
question of productive and non-productive labour was so important, that,
some time after the publication of the Labouchere Letter, Lord John
Russell discussed it, in a communication addressed by him to the Duke of
Leinster, as president of the Royal Agricultural Society.
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