26 A UNIONIST AGRICULTURAL POLICY 



in England. If Credit Societies or Banks could 

 be started throughout the country (and further, 

 could receive the voluntary support of the 

 existing banks in a really effective manner), it 

 would be better and more desirable than any 

 direct State intervention. If voluntary effort fails, 

 then State guarantee will have to be resorted to. 



& 



IX. Land Purchase 



The facilities for the acquisition of land should 

 not be confined to small-holders. There have 

 been considerable sales of land in recent years ; 

 and the process is likely to continue. 



The principle of Mr. Jesse Collings's Bill should 

 be adopted, under which the State is empowered 

 to advance the whole of the purchase money, 

 such advances being repaid by annual instalments 

 of principal and interest. We think that direct 

 State action is preferable to the establishment of 

 land banks ; and as the sales will be gradual and 

 extend over a long period of years, there will be 

 no necessity to raise large loans in any year. 



The proposal that tenants for life should be 

 entitled to retain a percentage of the purchase 

 money of settled land deserves consideration. 



Land Transfer. — The transfer of land should 

 be facilitated by an effective method of land 

 registration. 



