PROPOSALS FOR LAND REFORM 123 



It is also urged that the extension of piece-work should be encouraged . 

 The proposals, it is said, in uo way conflict with the historic Tory doctrine 

 that freedom of contract should not be interfered with unless the pohcy of 

 allowing such freedom has failed to produce desirable results from the point 

 of view^ of the State. " In the case of agricultural wages, " continues the 

 memorandum, " the policy of laissez /aire has produced results inimical 

 to the race and, therefore, the State, for its own preservation, is bound to 

 step in. " 



The memorandum urges the necessity of reconstructing village life and 

 of increasing the interests and opportunities of those living in the villages. 

 It proposes that every cottage should have at least one quarter of an acre 

 of garden, that there should be a sufficient supply of land tor allotments, 

 and that a sufficient amoimt of land should be set aside as a common cow 

 pasture. The present method of providing allotments is held to be too slow 

 and it is suggested that they should be directly provided by the Board of 

 Agriculture, who should appoint a representative in each district, assisted 

 by a local committee. 



The urgency of the housing question is noted, and it is stated that 

 experience has shown that local authorities are unwilUng to build cottages 

 unless they are assisted by the State in what they consider a national work. 

 It is suggested, therefore, that annual grants should be made to local 

 authorities on such a scale as would enable 125,000 cottages to be built in 

 rural districts. 



Considerable stress is laid upon the necessity of providing suitable educ- 

 ation. Reforms are suggested in the methods of training teachers, so as to 

 produce teachers of the right type for rural schools. It is urged that the 

 education shoiild be more practical ; that greater inducements should be 

 offered to teachers to remain in country schools ; that facilities should be 

 afforded for suitable children to pass from the elementary school to the se- 

 cotidary or to the higher elementary school ; that, to children who have left 

 school, instruction .should be given in centralised day classes, which they 

 could attend either two afternoons or two mornings in the week ; that in- 

 struction for the adult agriculturist should be developed in every direc- 

 tion, special attention being given to the small fanner and labourer ; that 

 demonstration farms should be established in every district, and that 

 much larger grants should be given by the State in aid of agricultural 

 education. 



The working of the Small Holditigs Act of 1908 is discussed and doubt 

 is expressed whether a Committee of a County Council is the right body to 

 deal with the development of small holdings. " The County Councils, " 

 says the memorandum, " are buying land in scattered and isolated pieces 

 at great expense and with too little advantage, and they are settling men 

 on the land in the waj" least calculated to secure their success, instead of 

 buying large areas of land in suitable places and settling the men in colon- 

 ies. " It is maintained that the colony system is the one and only system 

 whereby small holdings, out of which the holder is to make his entire 

 living, can be satisfactorily developed. 



