SMALL HOLDINGS. 75 



the reasons which have led to that. It is 

 not too much to say that a great many of 

 the farmers of this country feel that they 

 have this sword hanging over their heads, 

 and it would be an immense relief to know 

 that if the evil day came and they had to 

 sever their connection with their landlord, 

 they would be given an opportunity on 

 advantageous terms to acquire possession 

 of their holdings. 



" But, after all, that is not enough. In 

 our view these opportunities should be 

 brought within the reach of as many people 

 as possible. That is, wherever there is 

 some one willing to sell the land and a 

 tenant farmer ready to buy it, we are pre- 

 pared to say that in such cases, provided 

 the necessary conditions are present, pro- 

 vided that a man is a suitable man, pro- 

 vided the land is suitable for the purpose, 

 and provided the price agreed upon is a 

 reasonable price — that in such cases we hold 

 that the Government ought to be prepared 

 to advance the whole of the purchase 

 money at the lowest rate at which a gov- 



