330 RESULTS OF THE ACT 



If they were of opinion that the men were 

 unable to find the deposit required for purchase, 

 the Council could let land to them up to 10 acres. 



Under Part II. of the Act power was also given 

 to the Council to advance money to a tenant for 

 the purchase of his holding. 



THE RESULTS OF THE ACT. 



The merits and demerits of this Act can best 

 be judged by its subsequent practical effect. 



How far the framers of the Act were justified in 

 their policy of creating in it a strong bias towards 

 ownership, and in disregarding the weighty evidence 

 as regards the necessity of compulsory powers, can 

 only be proved by the results of a fourteen years' 

 trial. 



We will therefore now consider what have been 

 the actual results. 



There are ninety-five County Councils in England, 

 Wales, and Scotland. 



According to a return issued in August, 1895, 

 eight County Councils had made use of their powers 

 under Part I. of the Act, and had acquired a total of 

 483 acres, affecting about 152 persons. One County 

 Council Somerset had made use of their powers 

 under Part II. of the Act, and had advanced money 

 to an applicant to enable him to purchase a holding 

 of 2 acres at Nailsea. 150 had been borrowed 



