SMALL HOLDINGS ACT, 1907 211 



was by no means absent ; but the Council did not meet again 

 to further consider it. 



For several years after this the subject of small holdings 

 and peasant proprietary was not raised at any meeting of 

 the Council. Mr. Jesse Collings' Purchase of Land Bill deve- 

 loped its provisions as time passed, and became a potential 

 instrument intended to help, not only to create peasant pro- 

 prietors, but to enable comparatively large farmers to pur- 

 chase their holdings where they so desired, if the owners were 

 ready to sell. This proposal, natural!}', began to attract a 

 wider circle of men, and an occasional resolution, more or 

 less in support of the Bill, was received by the Central Chamber. 

 In December, 1903, Mr. Collings' Bill was one of the subjects 

 sent clown for local Chambers to consider. The majority of the 

 resolutions sent up in response were rather antipathetic to its 

 provisions, and this compelled the Business Committee to 

 place a motion on the agenda for 2nd February, 1904, express- 

 ing the view that there was no necessity for the Bill. Mr. 

 Collings attended this meeting himself, and after a full 

 explanation from him an amendment expressing approval of 

 the measure was moved by Mr. Henry Williams, of Mon- 

 mouthshire, and carried by a considerable majority. 



From that date until now there has been a rapidly growing 

 public opinion in its favour, and several hundred agricultural 

 associations of different kinds have passed resolutions asking 

 for legislation on the lines of this Bill. 



The Government introduced their Small Holdings Bill m 

 1907, and it was hailed with delight by a section of Fleet Street 

 agriculturists as a charter of freedom for the labourer ; it 

 was to mark the end of " Land Monopoly ; " it was, in fact, 

 to be epoch-making. With every intention of making this 

 measure thorough, it was put into the charge of a member 

 of the Cabinet, who, though a large landowner, was chiefly 

 known as a great game preserver. Meanwhile " Red Vans " 

 were sent round the country to explain to the rural voter 

 " That this Bill was to make the land into a treasure 

 house for the poor, instead of a pleasure ground for the 

 rich." 



p 2 



