SMALL HOLDINGS. 7? 



public body. I think these figures I have 

 given show conclusively that the 20 per 

 cent, advance has been really the means of 

 shipwrecking the purchase part of the 

 Small Holdings Act. I may be asked 

 whether we are not advocating a very 

 reckless policy, and one which may in- 

 volve the Government in serious financial 

 difficulties. I think not. 



" But if any of us are at all nervous I 

 am quite prepared to say, Let us impose the 

 strictest conditions upon all these purchases, 

 and let us, to begin with, treat the thing as 

 a great experiment, and place only a lim- 

 ited sum of money — as we did when deal- 

 ing with land purchase in Ireland — for the 

 purpose of land purchase. I would like 

 you to consider the effect of a policy of 

 this kind, not only upon the individuals 

 who may personally profit by it, but upon 

 the whole of the community to which they 

 belong. What is the great complaint that 

 is made of our country life, village life, in 

 some parts of the United Kingdom ? That 

 it is wanting in what is called outlook in 



