The Consumers' Interest. 95 



for the work of production shall be properly paid, and 

 work under conditions which will g-ive them reasonable 

 opportunities for living- a good life. It does not mean 

 that certain individuals as landowners shall be paid the 

 economic rent of land accruing from the natural advantages 

 of site and soil. Such economic rent ought to accrue to 

 the community. It does not mean that there should be 

 opportunities for the owners of capital to exploit the labour 

 of the workers, and the national resources, for profit- 

 making. These are sectional and class interests which run 

 counter to the interest of the general community. 



I have tried to make my general position clear because 

 it will probably be asked what the position of the land- 

 owner and farmer will be under the agricultural system 

 I have proposed. We are likely to have both private 

 owners of land and tenant farmers working for profit, 

 continuing for some time in this country. I have not 

 proposed the wholesale expropriation of landowners and 

 farmers, but merely the gradual taking over of the industry 

 by the community by the enforcing of a standard of cul- 

 tivation on farmers, by the taking over of badly managed' 

 or impoverished estates, and by the gradual extension of 

 large-scale farming. It may well be asked what the 

 position of the private landowner and tenant farmer will 

 be under such a system, if they are to be left to the chances 

 of the market without any protection or aid, and yet com- 

 pelled to maintain a standard of cultivation. My answer 

 is that they must take the risk. They do not hold land 

 or engage in farming to provide for the needs of the 

 community. They do so to serve their own ends. It is 

 not the business of the community to further their interests 



