130 A NEW AGRICULTURAL POLICY 



eventually given to the County Councils, the 

 Ministry allocating the sum of ,£16,000,000 

 for the settlement of ex-soldiers by these 

 local authorities in England and Wales, and 

 £"2,750,000 in Scotland. During the years 

 19 1 8-1 9 this work was undertaken by the 

 Small Holding Committees of County Councils, 

 instructions being given to them by the 

 Government that small holdings must be found 

 first of all for ex-soldiers before civilians were 

 considered at all. Now this work has been 

 transferred to County Agricultural Committees. 

 But many of these Small Holding Com- 

 mittees have suddenly discovered that not 

 only are they unable to provide civilians with 

 small holdings, but they are not able to fulfil 

 their promises to ex-soldiers who have already 

 been approved as applicants. I know of one 

 county, for instance, which has spent its quota 

 of £298,000 after making provision for settling 

 only 187 men, while it had approved of 488 ex- 

 soldiers. The Government finding itself in a 

 quandary with regard to its election pledges, 

 and the County Small Holding Committees 

 being at the end of their financial resources, the 

 Cabinet Committee on the subject sanctioned in 

 November a further £4,000,000 to be placed 

 at the disposal of county authorities for the 

 settlement of disabled ex-service men only who 

 have completed a course of agricultural training 

 and have shown themselves able to cultivate a 



