The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. TUESDAY, JULY 8, 1913. SMALL HOLDINGS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 53, 8 July 1913, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. TUESDAY, JULY 8, 1913. SMALL HOLDINGS.

In view of Mr Lloyd George’s statements, as cabled yesterday regarding peasant proprietorship, and the unsuitability of England for such a scheme, as that put forward bv Lord Lansdowne, fuller reports will,' in all probability, considerably modify this sweeping assertion. It is interesting at this stjyre to note what the Commissioners arrived at in their report on small holdings for 1912; Mr Frederick impey, an authority on the matter, says the report is to be regarded (from more than one point of view by those whom the economic improvement oi the English villagers’ position is only one aspect of the national urgency for a repopulation of the countryside, but he also concludes that the Board may reasonably be congratulated on the fact that in the live years 1908—1912, 155,000 acres have been acquired, or agreed to be acquired, , for small holdings by the County Councils of England and Wales and let to 9,000 tenants. The average size of smaill holdings provided in England and Walos is from thirteen to fourteen acres. In market gardening districts five acres will keep a family. In Yorkshire and the North the average size is about thirty acres. Norfolk has acquired 10,000 acres; Somerset. 7,800 acres; Wilts, 1,500 acres; Lincoln, 10.000 acres; Sussex only 5G2 acres. OI the most importnut counties, Lancashire, with 468 fleers, has acquired least; hut there, lit is stated, landowners and tenants [are in the happy position of having secured thirty-four per cent, of the land in small holdings prior to tie passing of the Act ; and, consequently, available land is hard to find. 51 r Tmpev refers to the prosperity of the small holder and goes on to say that in spite of disappointments, the pass-

incc of the Small Holdings Act of 1908 lias helped the villager to a reasonable share of the national pros-

perity. Experience is showing that

the countryman would increase his

comforts and happiness by renting a piece of land on fair terms if lie had the chance. The start that has been made constitutes argument in favour of a wide extension of small holdings. With co-operation, whenever the Englishman realises the prosperity which has followed its adoption in Ireland, Denmark and Holland, Britain’s decreasing population in the country districts would find strength for hitherto unknown progress. The report includes descriptions of eleven small holdings where the tenants are doing

well. They are devoted to market gardening, wheat and potato growing, dairying and stock rearing, mixed farming and horse rearing.