GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. 



SMALL HOLDINGS IN SCOTLAND AND THE EFFECTS 

 OF RECENT LEGISLATION REGARDING THEM 



By John M. Ramsay, 

 S'.ipenntendent of Statistics and Intelligence, Board oj Agriculture for Scotland. 



SOrRCES (OFFICIAL) : 



Reports of the Crofters Coimnssiox, and especially the fiual Report, for the period from 



31st. December, 1910 to 31st. March, 1912. 

 Reports of the Congested Districts Board, and especially the final Report for the year 



ended 31st. March, 191:;. 

 Report of the Scottish I,and Court for the period from ist. April to 31st. December, 1912. 

 First Report of the Board of Agriculture for Scotland, for the same period. 



Introduction. 



The Small Landholders (Scotland) Act, which came into force on 

 i^t. April, 1912, introduced great changes into the system of tenure of small 

 agricultural holdings in Scotland. The main features of the Act are 

 (i) the extension to the whole of Scotland, with certain modifications, of the 

 regulations regarding land tenure which had been applied to the "crofting 

 counties" by the Crofters Holdings Act, 18S6, and subsequent amending 

 Acts ; (2) the provision of machinery for the constitution by State action 

 of new small holdings to be occupied on a similar tenure. 



For the purpose of carrying out the provisions of the Act two new 

 bodies were estabUshed, the Scottish Land Court, a court of law having 

 powers similar to those of the Crofters Commission, but wider ; and the 

 Board of Agriculture for Scotland, an administrative body which is concerned 

 not only with small holdings but with Scottish agriculture in general. Among 

 its other duties the Board carries on those imposed on the Congested Districts 

 Board, which, like the Crofters Commission, ceased to exist at ist. April, 1912. 



It is propc sed in this paper to give an account of the work of the Crofters 

 Commission and the Congested Districts Board, of the provisions of the 

 Act of 191 1, and of the work done by the Land Court and the Board of 

 Agriculture in carrying out these provisions up to 31st. December, 1912. 



