THE BUILDING QUESTION 305 



tions of cases where landowners have been able, by 

 fostering small holdings, to keep up the value of 

 their estates, and continue to realize the same 

 income during a time of falling rents : of how one 

 landlord increased his net income 64 per cent., 

 and of how another developed his estate, and got 

 much waste land into profitable cultivation by 

 merely allowing small men access to the land on 

 reasonable terms. 



In the case of Verwood, it is specially to be noted 

 that the men required no assistance of any kind, 

 even providing their own housing accommodation. 



HOUSING AND BUILDINGS. 



It is generally this question of housing and 

 buildings which proves the stumbling-block to 

 action on the part of landowners who are otherwise 

 anxious to encourage smaller tenants. The above 

 reports will give indications of how it is often 

 possible, by adaptation, to do a good deal without 

 necessarily providing new buildings, and so to 

 contribute in an appreciable degree to keeping on 

 the land the men already there. 



It must be realized, however, that as the number 

 of holders increases, the housing question must be 

 more seriously faced. Where small-holding experi- 

 ments have been tried there are innumerable cases 

 to prove that, given reasonable facilities, small 

 men are perfectly capable of dealing with their 

 own housing, and in a satisfactory manner. By 



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