State Aid 



afforested becomes a matter of national con- 



cern." 



Belgium has lately pursued a vigorous policy of 

 afforestation of waste lands, with excellent results. 

 Besides planting the Crown Estates, the Govern- 

 ment encourage the Communes to plant their own 

 waste areas (there is a good amount of common 

 land owned by the various villages), paying half 

 the cost of the trees, managing them free of charge 

 and exacting no taxation for the first ten years. 

 The advantages need no enumeration. Land at 

 present absolutely waste, of which we have ji 

 million acres, is rendered profitable, returning, 

 in Belgium, up to 6 per cent on the outlay. 

 More than that, it provides work in the winter 

 for large numbers of men. 



If our waste areas were thus treated they would 

 pay an annual profit of £2, 000,000 a year, find 

 work continually for 12,000 men, and, in the 

 winter, employment for over 100,000. The 

 provision of work at a period when unemployment 

 is rife would be an invaluable contribution to a 

 serious national problem, and further, the presence 

 of a body of men who were busy in the winter 

 but free in the summer months would materially 

 benefit farmers. This is a matter for State aid — 

 surely? 



The question of credit is of vital importance 



l 59 



