132 THE HIGH COST OF LIVING 



working on the land as laborers are given the first 

 chance to lease before it is thrown open to the 

 public.^ 



The example of New Zealand has been followed 

 by Queensland; South Australia, West Australia, and 

 Victoria, each of which has enacted laws for the 

 resumption of private lands suitable for farming. 

 The laws have failed in New South Wales owing to 

 the opposition of the Labor party, which insisted 

 that the plan would benefit only the large land- 

 owners who would be glad to unload their holdings 

 on the state. 



The Closer Settlement Board of Victoria was cre- 

 ated for the purpose of developing farm colonies, 

 with an appropriation of $2,500,000 annually for 

 five years. It may purchase land and divide it into 

 farms not to exceed $7,500 in value, agricultural 

 laborers' blocks not to exceed $1,000, and workmen's 

 allotments not to exceed $500 in value. By the end 

 of 1907 the board had purchased forty estates, 

 aggregating 207,788 acres at a cost of $7,293,225. 

 The number of holdings made available was 1,216. 

 The plan has not been a very brilliant success, how- 

 ever, because of the absence of a proper land tax, 

 so that the price of land has been too high. A land 

 tax and compulsory purchase are needed to produce 

 the best results.^ 



^ Newest England, Henry D. Lloyd, pp. 139-146. 

 2 Australia's Awakening, W. G. Spence, pp. 465-466. 



