PEASANT PROPRIETARY IN FRANCE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1596, 29 June 1887, Page 4

PEASANT PROPRIETARY IN FRANCE

Now that the question of Village Settlements or peasant proprietorship appeals to be hanging m the balanco, and that the advent to powor of a Ministry oppoeod to suoh settlements would np m Iho bid what veTy many think will piovo to be the ultimate salvation of tho country, it may have weight with some wh > are still doubtful on this que. tion, to hear Mr Gladstone's opinion. That statesman, m alluding to the system of pea.ant proprietorship io F_an.ce, a system which it took a bloo ly rev.-'utioo to inaugurate, said*: - " The' taxab.e incorao derivablo from lat.d m France had advanced f>r more rapidly m that ocuntry than m England. The agricultural income cf France had m thirteen years incroaeod 4 ) per oent, whilst m England ia thirty-four years it had only ii.orea.ed 20 p*r cent. And this vast Increase m tbe agricultural value of France was not upon the large propert<e.«, which, jf sry'hlng,, were inferior as to cultivation to the largo properties m England, but it w.s upon thoso very peasant properties which so many people were ready to decry." It will also be remembered that it was the peasant proprietary of Fravo. which enabled that country to pry the German war indemnity of 2CO milliot.s wlib a promptneus thot took" thv'-w-.r-t. by ■arprise. "Auckland Bell.'*