I 3 o THE AGRICULTURAL CLUB. 



work on a co-operative small holding colony or on a large 

 farm intensively worked in gangs, in a spirit of comradeship, 

 running their own show. The New Zealanders said they 

 would prefer the latter. 



Sir C. Bathurst (now Lord Bledisloe) said the subject 

 had been treated from different standpoints, national, 

 productive, human, political, and social. He did not oppose 

 Mr. Acland's view that large farms and small holdings were 

 not antagonistic, but he thought it required the modification 

 that the medium-sized farms were essential to form the 

 ladder. He thought county councils should be given 

 opportunities to develop small holdings on a territorial 

 basis in their counties. The production standpoint was the 

 most important, but the country also wanted men of good 

 physique. He would like to see Cambridgeshire and 

 Lincolnshire earmarked for the small holder. In the south 

 and west there must be subsidiary industries ; suitable land, 

 co-operation, good transport, marketing facilities, a fair 

 rent, and the help of the women were the main points. 

 We must train women in Agriculture if the small holding 

 was to be a success. He hoped that they were not going to 

 pit the large farm against the small holding, as there was 

 room for both. 



Mr. Orwin said that, although the discussion arose from 

 his remarks at the last meeting of the Club, he did not want 

 to advocate the large farm against the small holding. From 

 a national point of view too much stress should not be laid 

 on the small holding. He thought Mr. Smith had put his 

 finger on the weakness. Nothing had been said about 

 machinery, but you must have the best land and the best 

 men. The last thing he wanted to see was the woman on 

 the land ; she had enough work to do at home. Mr. Nicholls 

 objected to work for the foreman ; he himself had worked 

 for some one all his life and everybody was in the same 

 position. 



Mr. George Dallas congratulated Mr. Nicholls on the rosy 

 picture he had painted. If the greatest production of food 

 was the thing to aim at, there was a great future for the 

 industrial farm, but that did not exclude the small holding. 



