COUNTY COUNCIL PETITIONS 51 



owner lets it at 30, besides getting 2 a year 

 ground-rent for a building-site. 



These are merely instances of the manner in 

 which a very large number of the holdings have 

 been increased in rent, and yet the demand for 

 them is as keen as ever. Apart from the men 

 without land who are anxious to acquire it, many 

 of the men are just short of enough land to make 

 the most profitable use of their time and the land 

 they already possess. 



The Result of County Council Petitions. 



A petition was sent in to the Worcester County 

 Council in December, 1902, stating the demand 

 for small holdings. An inquiry was held, but 

 nothing further happened. I am informed that 

 the reason given was that at the moment the 

 Council was unable to [acquire a large enough 

 piece of land on low enough terms ; also that there 

 were only a limited number of the applicants able 

 to find the 20 per cent, of the purchase-money laid 

 down by the Act as requisite. 



Rent, Price of Land, etc. 



The difference between the price of large and 

 small holdings, which is always very marked, is 

 very noticeable indeed here. 



The same class of land, rented at from 13s. to l 

 in large farms, will fetch from 2 to 4 in small 

 holdings. The actual rent of the small farms 

 varies from 25s. to 4, according to situation, size, 



42 



