T.and Prol)lcnis and National Welfare 



A landowner will not only deal more readily 

 with such a society than with a number of 

 individuals, but he can afford to let the society 

 have a farm of, say, loo, 200, or 300 acres at 

 the same rental as he would charge to a large 

 farmer, whereas he would have to ask more, 

 in proportion, from 20 or 30 persons among 

 whom he divided the same amount of land in 

 separate tenancies. The local authority, again, 

 is saved the salaries of rent collectors and the 

 risk of bad debts while the members of the 

 society can save various fees and expenses by 

 themselves undertaking work that would other- 

 wise have to be paid for. 



" Then, as the small holders forming the 

 society may suffer loss through the inability of 

 one of their number to pay his rent, and their 

 own obligation to make good his default, they 

 generally have a feeling of good fellowship with 

 their neighbour and are ready to help him out 

 of a difficulty, whether in giving him advice 

 based on their collective wisdom, assisting him 

 with his crops, relieving him of some of his land, 

 should he have taken more than he can work, 

 or allowing him time in which to pay his rent. 

 On the other hand a sense of the responsibility 

 assumed will make the society careful not to 

 admit to membership undesirable persons likely 

 to neglect their land or who are regarded as 

 financially untrustworthy ; while if, in spite of 



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