COST OF SETTLEMENT 73 



these colonies will become real "live " thriving and 

 prosperous communities. 



It seems to me that to secure these conditions 

 the area of the Colony should be about 2,000 

 acres, but the size would, of course, vary with the 

 class of holdings developed upon it. Taking a 

 2,000 acre colony a considerable part of it might be 

 laid out as twenty-five acre arable dairy farms, and 

 another portion as five acre holdings and a certain 

 number of one acre holdings — some even smaller. 

 These would provide land for men who might 

 furnish additional labour for the twenty-five acre 

 holdings, or maybe for neighbouring farmers. 



Or a certain number of these acre holdings 

 might be allotted to partially disabled soldiers, for 

 I think it in every way desirable that these men 

 should be placed on the land amongst other settlers 

 rather than in settlements entirely allotted to the 

 partially disabled. The least number I would like to 

 see settled together is one hundred families, for that 

 is in my opinion the smallest number with which we 

 could secure a beginning of community life, but I 

 would certainly prefer two hundred families. 



Finally, what will it cost to settle men on the 

 land ? The cost clearly will vary according to the 

 purchase price of the land, the size of the holding, 

 its cottage accommodation and equipment.^ If 

 military huts arc available and are largely used, 



1 The Board of Agriculture has brought out a well-illustrated 

 report of the Advisory Committee (1915) on the building oi 

 cheap cottages, which will be available when the time comes. 

 Full working drawings and specifications of the cottages illus- 

 trated in this report can be obtained from the Board of Agri- 

 culture at a cost of is. id. per plan. 



