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ourers who can be assimilated with farmers, such as brickmakers, fishei- 

 men who have not directly shared in the State loan, and any other persons 

 living partly by ordinary agricultural labour, may also benefit by the law. 



The party concerned must be a Dane, at least twenty five years old 

 and (save in exceptional cases) under fifty, must not have been condemned 

 by the courts for an act dishonouring him in pubhc opinion and not 

 have had recourse to public assistance. He must also have been engaged 

 in agricultural labour for at least four years since the completion of his 

 eighteenth year and be incapable of attaining the position of a landowner by 

 means of his own resources, but possess the tenth part of the value of the 

 holding apphedfor. Theapphcant must also present: ist., a certificate from 

 two trustworthy persons well acquainted with him, that he is diligent, 

 sober and economical and may be considered capable of farming the lot in 

 question ; 2nd., a certificate from the municipal authority (Sogneyaadei) of 

 the commune in which he resides, to the effect that he is considered 

 suitable to become a peasant farmer . 



Besides the special commissions we have mentioned, also the muni- 

 cipal authorities have to assist in the work of colonisation. When a labourer 

 desires to purchase a holding ,but is not able to specify the holding he 

 wishes to possess, he may apply to the municipality, which must try to 

 induce private landowners to offer land on acceptable conditions. If 

 they are unsuccessful in this and the council finds there is a suitable 

 holding in the possession of the commune, it shall enter into negotiations 

 with the competent authorities for the transfer of the laud at a suitable 

 price and afterwards inform the party concerned of the result of the steps 

 that have been taken. 



When either personally, or with the assistance of the municipality, 

 an applicant has made choice of a holding he desires to purchase by means 

 of a loan from the State, he must forward his application to the president 

 of the Colonisation Commission, together with a declaration by which the 

 municipality certifies that the holding specified may be considered adapted 

 to the purpose and that the estimate of its value is reasonable. 



The Commission then examines whether all the conditions have been 

 fulfilled and visits the holding to assure itself of its stdtability for a small 

 farm and that the price fixed for the land is fair. If the appHcant possesses 

 buildings he wishes to include in his farm, the Commission must, further, 

 see if these buildings are suited for the purpose and fix the amount of 

 their value. The Commission also must see that the holding has a favour- 

 able aspect and is well placed in regard to the roads and that, in case of 

 there being no well and no possibility of sinking one, the holding will 

 still have a sufficieut supply of water. 



If the Commission judges that the application cannot be granted, the 

 applicant is informed of this, as well as of the reasons for the refusal. He 

 may appeal against the decision to the Minister of Agriculture. 



The loans granted by the State may amount to '■'/j,, ths. of the value 

 of the holding, the possession of one tenth by the applicant being insisted 

 on. The holdings cannot be less than one hectare in area, but as a rule 



