IRISH AUCTIONS.
In consequence of the difficulties and disputes which have attended recent sales by auction in Ireland, under the Encumbered Estates Act, and otherwise, the Irish authorities have published an official set of conditions of sale, framed in conformity with the spirit of business in the sister country, which are, in future, to be universally adopted there. Anxious to render this Almanack of as much use as possible to the man of business, the editor has, at the last moment, found room for this document:—
CONDITIONS OF SALE BY AUCTION IN IRELAND.
I. The highest bidder to be the purchaser, unless some gentleman bids more.
II. If any dispute arises as to who was the highest bidder, the sale is to stop until the parties have fought it out: but if either combatant is killed, he shall be allowed to amend his bidding for the sake of his bereaved family.
III. If after a piece of land has been sold, it cannot be found in the estate to which it belongs, it shall be taken from the estate that lies most convenient to it; but the purchaser shall pay the owner of the latter the full price of the piece thus taken; but this purchase-money shall be laid out in improving the same. Anyhow, they must settle it between them.
IV. If a lot has been wrongly described, such misdescription shall not vitiate the sale; but compensation shall be granted as may be just. If a piece of land has been described as a house, the auctioneer shall be bound to build a house thereon with the money paid for the same: and if it is not convenient for the purchaser to pay for his purchase, the money may be borrowed out of the poor-rates. If the vendor or the poor complain of this, they must write to the newspapers; and if they can't write, more shame for them.
V. The auctioneer shall not be liable to be called out upon any pretence whatever connected with the sale now about to take place; but this condition shall in no wise prevent his giving satisfaction in regard to any other sale, or his conduct in knocking down other lots or bidders.
VI. In regard to its being insulting to ask a gentleman to show his dirty parchments, and make out titles, and all that bother, no title shall be required beyond the seller giving his word of honour that the title is as good as possible, and better. After this, if there's any awkwardness, it's a case for the Phaynix Park.
VII. If what the lawyers call "outstanding terms" can't be "got in," they must stop out.
VIII. If it shall turn out that the seller has sold property to which he was not entitled, and which belongs to somebody else, and the right owner, upon proper application, unreasonably refuses to give up possession, the trouble and expense of bringing him to a sense of what is gentlemanly conduct shall be equally divided between the seller and buyer.
IX. If the purchaser thinks he has paid too much, the balance shall be handed back to the auctioneer, to be treated as liquidated damages, that is, laid out in claret, to be drunk by all the bonâ fide bidders at the sale.
X. The auction duty shall not be paid at all, as it only helps to maintain English ascendancy.
XI. Should there be much starvation on the estate, or much difficulty in getting enough rent out of the tenants, part of the purchase-money shall be laid out in publishing, in the English papers, an appeal to the charitable.
XII. That none of these conditions shall be binding on anybody who disapproves of them.
