214 LAND REFORM 



There can be no doubt that an Act which has been 

 so successful in one county could, if the same means 

 and the same spirit were adopted, be carried out with 

 equal success in other counties. 



Some particulars of this small colony of peasant 

 proprietors are worthy of being noticed.^ 



On the passing of the Small Holdings Act of 1892 

 the Worcester County Council — mainly through the 

 influence of the members of the Council referred to — 

 bought the " Woodrow Farm," which is close to the 

 village of Catshill, in the parish of North Bromsgrove, 

 and about twelve miles from Birminorham. The farm 

 contains about 146 acres, and the purchase-price was 

 ;^33 per acre, including the timber. The Council divi- 

 ded the land into thirty-two small holdings, ranging in 

 size from just over three acres to about nine. The 

 expense of dividing the land by fences, etc., amounting 

 to J^jiZ"], was duly apportioned among the holdings. 

 There were numerous applicants for the plots, and 

 the Small Holdings Committee of the Council were 

 enabled to select suitable men. Some of the appli- 

 cants were men who had left the locality through 

 want of employment, but desired to come back when 

 there was a prospect of getting land to cultivate. The 

 selling price of each holding was settled, and the 

 purchaser was required to pay down one-fifth of the 

 amount. The sale was then completed, and the pur- 

 chaser became the registered freeholder of the land, 

 subject to the payment of an annual instalment for 

 a certain number of years. 



' The present writer is indebted to the courtesy of Mr. S. Thornely, 

 Clerk to the County Council, for pholograplis, together with the inform- 

 ation respecting the financial business arrangements connected with the 

 undertaking. Other particulars given are the result of repeated visits to 

 the colony, and of personal knowledge of the men. 



