PROPOSALS OF COMMITTEE 393 



trict, and not be general ; and as to the necessity 

 of the subsequent inquiry being both public and 

 local. 



They recommend 'that an annual inquiry be 

 made by each County Council Small Holdings 

 Committee from the minor authorities within 

 the county as to what land is occupied by small 

 holders, whether there is a demand for further land, 

 and whether there is any land available.' They 

 further suggest .that the Small Holdings Com- 

 mittee of a County Council should be made to 

 report as to why, or why not, the circumstances of 

 the county would justify the Council putting into 

 operation Part I. of the Act. 



As far as these suggestions go, they are wisely 

 considered and likely to stimulate to some degree 

 the members of those County Councils who are 

 anxious to do something in this direction. But 

 there the matter ends. Sir Francis Channing, in 

 a supplementary report, states the other side of the 

 case so clearly that I cannot do better than quote 

 him in full on this point : 



'It is a grave defect in the Report that no 

 suggestion is made to extend the powers of Local 

 Authorities for the acquisition of land. Whether 

 a Central Authority is created, or State loans to 

 landowners under proper conditions are authorized 

 or not, it should be recognized that both in the 

 provision and in the supervision of small holdings 

 local representative authorities must discharge 

 important functions. 



