162 ENGLISH AGRICULTURAL LABOURER. 



with regard to allotments. It became the duty of every 

 Parish Council to supply every applicant who desired it 

 with an allotment of I acre, with statutory powers to 

 acquire 5 acres for every applicant. Parish Councils were 

 also empowered to build a cottage on an allotment of not less 

 than one acre. 1 



Difficulties in compulsory acquisition and arbitration 

 the blemishes of previous Acts were to a large extent 

 removed. 



The intending small holder was no longer obliged to 

 purchase the land, but could invest his savings in live- 

 stock and implements. 2 Small holdings could be equipped 

 by County Councils with not only cottages but also farm 

 buildings. 



County Councils were not compelled to buy land but 

 could obtain it on a lease of not less than fourteen years or 

 longer than thirty-five years (renewable for the same periods) , 

 and landlords had, of course, many protective clauses 

 which prevented a private park or farm being taken, or 

 woodland attached to a country house. Landlords could 

 resume ownership if it could be shown to the satisfaction of 

 the Board that the land was afterwards required for build- 

 ing, mining, or other industrial purposes. 



One striking section in the Small Holdings Act gave 

 County Councils the power to " promote the formation or 

 extension of, and may, subject to the provisions of this 

 section, assist, societies on a co-operative basis, having 

 for their object, or one of their objects, the provision or 

 the proper working of small holdings or allotments, whether 

 in relation to the purchase of requisites, the sale of produce, 

 credit banking, or insurance, or otherwise." 



But this laudable provision, which would have been of 

 immense value to small holders who lacked capital, has 

 never been carried out by any County Council. 



Here we beat up against the rock which barred the path- 

 way of the labourer to the Promised Land. Agricultural 



1 It is rather a remarkable fact that no such cottage has ever been 

 built under this provision of the Act. 



1 Less than 2 per cent, of applicants desired purchase (Cd. 7851). 



