CHAPTER IX 



THE CREATION OF SMALL HOLDINGS 

 BY LEGISLATIVE ACTION. 



THE Small Holdings Act of 1892, empowering 

 County Councils to acquire land for the purposes 

 of small holdings, followed on an inquiry into the 

 subject held in 1889 by a Select Committee. 



The main objects of this inquiry, as stated in the 

 Report of the Committee, were ' to inquire into the 

 facilities which exist for the creation of small hold- 

 ings in land in Great Britain ; whether, either in 

 connection with an improved system of local 

 government or otherwise, these facilities may be 

 extended ; whether in recent years there has been 

 any diminution in the number of small owners and 

 cultivators of land ; and whether there is any 

 evidence to show that such diminution is due to 

 legislation.' 



The conclusions arrived at by the Committee 

 were summarized as follows : 



1. That the extension of a system of small hold- 

 ings is a matter of national importance, both in the 

 interests of the rural population and also as adding 

 to the security of property generally. 



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