A Small Holdings Experiment in Wilts.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2647, 29 June 1889, Page 2 (Supplement)

A Small Holdings Experiment in Wilts.

Fouham farm, situated about three miles from the town of Chippenham and sixmiles from Calne, Wilts.' and consisting of a good-sized farmhouse, barn, stable", and outbuildings, and a largo farmyard at one end of the property, with a cottage and two sets of stables and outbuildings and yard at the other, including over 150 acres of arable and pasture laud, admirably adapted for division into small holdings, is just now passing into the bands of the Small Farm and Labourers' Laud Company, the directors liaring purchased

if. from Lord Lansdowne. The dornar,' for small holding's and plots of laud at Foxliam, Bremhill, Christian Mulsordfc ; and surrounding' villages is considerably" aiore than the company can at presen .satisfy, as Mr. E. Stall:.rd Howard formely M. P. fnr tie Tliornluiry Division of G!ou::e."ti;rshirc, nun of tlio directors of the (•..niijiniiy, and Mr. Samuol Instill, the secretary, painted out at i numerourjy-attended meeting recently h' ld in tlio village reading-room at Foxliain, which wis principally composer! o' ' labourer-', some of whom reminded the secretary that they applied last summer for land upon hearing lhat negotiating lo" the pinviia<'" of this ornperty by the company were iiro. Under these circumstances andimincd'utely afte the above mooting, the whole of the farm was easily let, the company in the first instance havinj agreed to allow th( nresont tenant., who rents an adjoining farm under Lord Lansdowne, to remain on a portion of this farm for one year as the company's tenant, from Lady-day next, ho renting tlio homestead and adjoining farm buildings and also 50 acre'* of pasture for that period, at 50s. pci acre and taxes. The cottage and a portion of the stables and outbuilding's, with 15 acres of arable and -t acres of pasture, were let to an intelligent labourer who has worked on the farm for some years : and the remainder of that portion of tin arable and pasture land, consisting of 22 acres and outbuildings, was a'so let to an induslrous man who farms a small portion of laud adjoining this property. The rent for these two holdings was fixed at 30s. per aero and taxes, the tenant having the cottage agreeing to pay £3 J year extra for the same. The other portions of the farm were let to 16 tenants— 10 being labourers two dealers, the other; being a butcher, a mason, a small farmer, and a eoal merchant's assistant—iu plots; varying from one to twelve acres, the rent being fixed, as in other cases, according to the situation and the quality of the soil, viz., from 355. to 40s. per acre and taxes. It was necessary, hoivovar chiefly owing to the numerous applicant for tho same plots, to tako several ballots during the meeting, and the unsuccossfu? applicants, who, us a matter or course were greatly disappointed in not beinj. ablo to obtain (t a bit of land," have ap plied for portions of the farmhouse ano buildings and the pasture land adjoining (which is to be occupied by the presen tenant until March, 1893) in order tha. they should be in good lime for nex year's lettings. A. well-situated plot oj pasture land, with a good frontage, consisting of over three acres, law been secured by the village baker, ho havin y arranged to purchase tho same from the company at £50 per acre, and it is expected that, some of the incoming tenants will avail themselves of the option of purchase upon tho company's system * deferred payments extending over fifteen or more years, Tho proceer throughout were most interesting, clcarly showed that the " land hu

was far from being satisfied in th : of Wiltshire.