328 COMPULSORY POWERS 



The remaining eleven witnesses spoke most 

 strongly in favour of a compulsory clause, as 

 being the only means to make any power given 

 to local bodies effectual. They all argued that 

 without it many obstacles would be thrown in 

 the way of acquiring land. The County Authorities 

 were largely composed of the farmer class, which, 

 as a rule, showed itself very averse to small 

 holdings. Many landlords were willing to let land 

 for this purpose, but their large tenant farmers 

 would not give up the land. By giving landlords 

 a handle the compulsory clause would have more 

 a moral effect than anything else, and would 

 probably never be actually called into use. This 

 had been the case with the Allotments Act ; 

 many landlords had come forward who would not 

 do anything before the addition of compulsory 

 powers. The opinion was also given that even 

 where there was land for sale, if there were no 

 compulsion it gave the Local Authority a chance 

 to stand on one side and let things be. The 

 finding of the Committee in their Report, 'after 

 having given full consideration to the arguments 

 on both sides,' is summarized as follows : 



* That land in sufficient quantities for the purpose 

 can be obtained by voluntary agreement, and that 

 it is not necessary at present to resort to compulsory 

 powers.' 



