326 EVIDENCE OF WITNESSES IN 1890 



AUTHORITY FOR THE SUPPLY OF SMALL 

 HOLDINGS. 



The other points of discussion with regard to 

 subsequent legislation involved the question of 

 what authority was to be entrusted with powers 

 of creating small holdings, and whether this 

 authority should be granted compulsory powers 

 for the acquisition of land. In Mr. Collings's Bill, 

 alluded to above, he made the County Council the 

 authority, and gave as his reason that local know- 

 ledge was a necessary qualification ; and, more- 

 over, that the carrying out of any scheme could be 

 done more cheaply by a local body on the spot. 



Another witness thought that the County 

 Authority would be 'too distant and not know 

 enough about particular cases.' He thought the 

 power ought to be something between the Parish 

 and County Councils. 



One witness was afraid that the County Council 

 ' might not take the trouble to carry it out.' 



COMPULSORY POWERS. 



As regards the power of compulsion, Mr. Collings 

 only relinquished it in his Bill on account of the 

 opposition the latter would otherwise receive ; he 

 thought that powers without compulsion would at 

 least be better than no powers at all. 



The whole of the evidence from subsequent wit- 

 nesses teems with demands for compulsory powers, 

 and fears that without them the Bill would be 

 inoperative. 



