Some Present-Da\) Policies. 45 



ran the risk of finding- their holdings bought over their 

 heads by others who wanted to occupy. It will be found 

 that the demand for security was strongest in those 

 districts where the greatest increase of occupying owners 

 occurred. There can be no doubt but that the great 

 majority of farmers do not wish to become owners. 



In spite of the unwillingness of farmers to buy their 

 farms, the advocates of occupying ownership continue 

 their efforts to persuade the nation that agriculture can 

 be developed most satisfactorily on this basis. It is a 

 hopeless proposition. If there were any indications that 

 the proposal was likely to become popular it would be 

 necessary to discuss it seriously, but if I am right in my 

 reading of the attitude of the farmers it is hardly worth 

 while to do so. I content myself with saying that I believe 

 the farmers are serving their own interests best by 

 demanding security of tenure and avoiding purchase. 

 Farming has always suffered from lack of adequate 

 capital, and farmers are wise to conserve their capital for 

 their industry, and to avoid locking it up in the land. Nor 

 is there any evidence that occupying owners will make 

 better use of their land than tenants do. There is nothing 

 in occupying ownership which would justify us in assuming 

 that the combination of owner and farmer in one person 

 would always give us a prudent and capable owner, and 

 an enterprising and skilful farmer. It would be much 

 more difficult for the State to enforce a standard of 

 cultivation on a large number of independent owners. 

 Again if the present owners are not able to finance and 

 manage their estates, and the farmers are often short of 

 capital, it is hopeless to expect that the farmers can 



