Land Problems and National Welfare 



have been simplified before bringing in any 

 Small Holdings Act; but of course a party 

 which is practically pledged to the nationaliza- 

 tion of land does not want to simplify its trans- 

 fer, but rather, as shown by the Budget of 

 igog, to make the process more difficult. From 

 an administrative point of view the chief evil 

 has been in having to deal with so many indi- 

 vidual applicants for holdings ; in a large number 

 of districts the original applicants have dis- 

 appeared before the holdings were ready for 

 them. Moreover the continued dealing with 

 scattered individuals will be a frequent source 

 of trouble and expense to County Councils. 



Again, it is to be feared that in spite of every 

 precaution on the part of the commissioners 

 small holdings will be started in unsuitable 

 places; the mere fact of their being started all 

 over England, in every County Council District, 

 makes it impossible to avoid this pitfall. 



I remember in this connection Prince Kro- 

 potkin's answer when I asked him his opinion as 

 to the best way of developing small holdings. 

 *' Begin by developing small holdings in districts 

 where they already exist — do not try to create 

 or manufacture them in districts where there is 

 no natural tendency towards small holdings." 

 It seems to me that this principle lies at the 

 root of success: in time, with the development 

 of the movement, small holdings would naturally 



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