XVII LAND NATIONALIZATION— WHY ? AND HOW ? 331 



to work regularly at agricultural labour, there would be 

 many with larger holdings or with other means of living, 

 who would be ready to earn good wages during hay or 

 harvest time. With a million of agricultural labourers, 

 each holding an acre or more of land, and at least another 

 million of mechanics doing the same thing, and all perma- 

 nently attached to the soil by its secure possession, that 

 scandal to our country, the scarcity of milk and the 

 importation of poultry, eggs and butter from the Continent 

 would come to an end, while the vast sums we now pay 

 for this produce would go to increase the well-being, not 

 only of the labourers themselves, but of all the retail and 

 wholesale dealers who supplj^ their wants. Our most 

 important customers are, or should be, those at home, and 

 there is no more certain cure for the almost chronic 

 depression of trade than a system which would at once 

 largely increase the purchasing power of the bulk of the 

 community. 



Before concluding this chapter, I would wish to point 

 out how easily the principles of land tenure here advocated 

 may be tried on a small scale without interfering with 

 any private rights or interests ; and so convinced am I of 

 the soundness of these principles, that I would venture to 

 stake the whole question of the practicability of land 

 nationalization on the result of such a trial. I would 

 suggest, then, that all Crown lands in any degree suitable 

 for cultivation should be thrown freely open to applicants 

 in small holdings for personal occupation, on the tenure 

 which I have just explained ; and I would earnestly press 

 some Liberal member of Parliament to urge this trial on 

 the Government by means of an annual motion. The 

 result would certainly be a large increase of revenue 

 from these lands, since all expenses of management would 

 be saved ; while it is equally certain that the localities 

 would be benefited by the increased well-being of the 

 inhabitants. 



In view of such a trial being made and its further exten- 

 sion being desirable, a resolution should be passed declaring 

 it inexpedient to sell any Crown lands or rights over 

 commons ; and the next step should be to stop entirely 



