Vol. XV. No. 366. 



THE AGRICULTUEAL NEWS 



157 



LAND SETTLEMENT FOR SAILORS AND 

 SOLDIERS. 



Active steps are being taken by the Board oi Agricul- 

 ture in England to promote the .settlement and employment 

 on the land of sailors and soldiers whether disabled or 

 otherwise, on discharge from the navy or army. It will be 

 remembered that similar steps are being t3,ken by the Royal 

 Colonial Institute in regard to the land settlement of 

 ex-soldiers in the Dominions and Crown Colonies. In this 

 connexion we may refer to the visit of Major Boose to the 

 West Indies recently, and to Sir Rider Haggard's tour in 

 South Africa and Australia on similar mission. 



The recommendations made in the final report of the 

 Committee appointed by the English Board of Agriculture 

 are published in the Journal of the Board for February 1916. 

 They are of great general interest, especially in the West 

 Indies, where so much has been done in regard to the land 

 settlement of the peasant. 



The Committee divides land settlement into two kinds: 

 (a) settlement by the State, and (b) settlement by County 

 Councils. Taking settlement by the State first, the Board, 

 it is recommended, should be empowered to acquire land 

 either by purchase (voluntarily if possible, but failing this, 

 conipulsorily), or by lease (voluntarily). Settlement un the 

 'colony system' is regarded as the only system possible for 

 the State, owing to the impracticability of organizing isolated 

 holdings. This 'colony system' idea corresponds with the 

 settlements one finds in Grenada and' St. Vincent. The 

 Committee considers that the ideal settlement would be 

 ft village community of at least 100 families all interested in 

 the cultivation and development of land, but including 

 amongst them those engaged in the trades subsidiary to 

 agriculture. Great importance is attached by the Committee 

 to the possibility which the 'colony system' offers for devel- 

 oping the social side of country life. It is generally recog- 

 nized that one of the principal cau.ses of the depopulation of 

 country districts is the social limitations thereof. 



The most suitable h3lding for men with little or no 

 previous e.xperience of agriculture is believed to be the fruit 

 and market gardens. Such holdings can be made to 

 produce a larger return per acre than those cultivated other- 

 wise; further, a larger number of such holdings can be 

 ereated on a given quantity of land; also an inexperienced 

 man can be trained more easily to grow these crops; 

 the planting of fruit trees could be undertaken by the State 

 and the cost included in the rent; and lastly, such holdings 

 facilitate the successful working of co-operative marketing. 



The question of ownership or tenancy is discussed in the 

 report at considerable length, and the conclusion is reached 

 that for the purpose in view, a system of tenancy is preferable 

 to one of ownership. 



To reduce the initial cost nf equipping small areas of 

 land with houses and buildings it is thought that the Govern- 

 ment might hand over to the Board, free of cost, the military 

 hutments erected all over the country, the best of which 

 could be adapted to form comfortable rural cottages and farm 

 buildings. Amongst cither ecjuipments, the Board suggests 

 a central depot and store for the produce grown; a central 

 club room; and also, possibly, a private telephone system. 

 Any necessary works of road making, water-supply, drainage 

 and fencing would be carried out by the Board. 



It is suggested that provision should be made for expert 

 guidance. Each colony should have a director at a salary of 

 jE500 a year with house, and also a horticultural instructor 

 who should be responsible under the director for the actual 

 training of the small holders, and whose salary might be 



£,\iO a year with house. The Colony could appeal to the 

 agricultural re.search institutions for special information as 

 might be requiivJ. 



As regards co-operation, the Committee realize that it 

 can only result successfully from education and must have 

 time for growth. However, a large degree of organization 

 and co-operation is ensured by the appointment of a director, 

 and by the establishment of a central depnt. 



As regards the provision of working capital, the 

 Committee reject the proposal that the State should make 

 direct advances; instead, they consider thattaxnh.n should 

 be reduced; that ex-service men with no capit. ! slriuld be 

 .started at a weekly wage: and that a co-opera;,. .• credit 

 bank should be established in connexion with each 

 colony. As an experiment it is recommended that the 

 State should set aside a small sum of money to be lent 

 to the credit bank so set up; 5s. an acre is suggested as the 

 amount. The residents should be invited to take up .shares 

 and deposit there savings with the society. Limited liability 

 is suggested, with State guarantee of members' deposits. 



In ordei- to place the scheme on a sound economic basis, 

 .sufficient rent should be charged to meet the interest on the 

 cost of the lands, equipment and repairs. The cost of the 

 educational staff of the (Jolony would not be charged i:in the 

 rent. 



After outlining their scheme, the Committee refer to the 

 need for prompt action; and they recommend that immediate 

 steps should be taken by the Board to acquire and equip land 

 for three pioneer colonies (illustrating the different types of 

 holdings) compiising 5,000 acres in all, and that additional 

 land should be acquired for the settlement of further colonies. 

 From estimates given by -the Committee it appears that the 

 cost of establishing the three pioneer colonies would not be 

 more than £334,000. These colonie.s would accommodate 

 more than 300 families. To provide for at least 4,000 or 

 5,000 families a sum of £2,000,000 should, it is recommend- 

 ed, be placed at the disijosal of the Board. 



As regards the settlement by County Councils, that has 

 already been in operation for .some years. Ex-service men 

 who wish to settle in the neighbourhood whence they came 

 will probably not be prepared to go to the State colonies, and 

 for those men the County Councils .should make special 

 provision and establish colonies similar to the State colonies 

 outlined above. It is recommended that the Small Holdings 

 Act should be amended so that the Board may become part- 

 ners with the County Councils in the whole business of 

 providing small holdings under the Act, and may pay half of 

 any losses that may be incurred. Several other amendments 

 of the Act are also suggested to facilitate settlement and 

 make it more attractive. 



In his address to the Legislative Council of St. Vincent, 

 the Administrator said the general situation of the Colony 

 gives no real ground for pessimistic outlook in the future. 

 Trouble has been experienced in the matter of selling arrowroot 

 but that was regarded as merely a temporary affair. It had 

 to be admitted, however, that the last few years had witnessed 

 a falling off in the cotton industry, both as regards area and 

 yield per acre. His Honour invited cotton growers to take 

 full advantage of the assistance that was being offered by the 

 Local Agricultural Department, as well as by the Imperial 

 Department of Agriculture. There had been a steady 

 increase in the exports of vegetable produce and live-stock to 

 neighbouring Colonies, and there were indications of much 

 progress and enterprise in connexion with the cultivation of 

 coco-nuts. The area planted already exceeds 1,000 acres and 

 will probably reach 2,000 acres in the near future 



