SALE OF LAND 77 



letting out in small holdings. An inquiry was held, 

 but negotiations fell through owing to the men not 

 being willing to buy and find 20 per cent, of the 

 purchase-money. As the custom established in 

 the country, and proved to be the most suitable for 

 small men, is that of tenancy rather than owner- 

 ship, one feels that it is regrettable that the 

 Worcestershire County Council should have taken 

 this view. There is a strong local opinion that if 

 the Littleton estate had been offered on a fair 

 tenancy agreement in small lots, it would have 

 fetched from 50s. to 60s. per acre, and the tenants 

 would have been the picked men of Littleton and 

 the adjacent villages.* 



With reference to the above sales, I have received 

 the following communication from Mr. Raymond 

 Webb, a gentleman who, as agent for a large 

 number of small holdings in the district, is well 

 qualified to form an accurate opinion : 



' I think that under the " Evesham Custom " the 

 men are much better off as tenants than land- 

 owners ; their money is realizable within a few days 

 usually, and if expended in improving the land or 

 dealing, they get a much higher rate of interest 

 than they would if land was purchased. In other 

 districts where small holdings are very scarce, or 

 transferring not allowed, I can see advantages in 

 purchasing, but not here. In fact, in most cases, I 

 think when a tenant has purchased in this district 



* The County Council has now purchased some of this 

 land. 



