328 STUDIES, SCIENTIFIC AND SOCIAL CHAP. 



How the Land is to ~be Distributed. 



Having thus shown how the land may be acquired by 

 the State for the use of the community without cost or 

 risk, we may proceed to consider how it may best be used 

 for the benefit of all ; and here we shall be able to answer 

 Professor Fawcett's questions (which he seemed to think 

 unanswerable) " What principles are to regulate the 

 rents to be charged ? Who is to decide the particular 

 plots of land that should be allotted to those who apply 

 for them ? " The answer to both is easy. Rents will be 

 fixed in the first place by official valuation, following the 

 precedent of the Irish Land Act ; afterwards, probably, by 

 free competition. As to who is to have land, and what 

 particular plots of land, it is essential that there should be 

 the greatest freedom of choice compatible with the just 

 rights of existing occupiers. How these two important 

 matters may be settled I will now briefly indicate. 



It will first be necessary to determine the value of the 

 improvements on the land as distinguished from that of 

 the land itself, and to facilitate subdivision or rearrange- 

 ment of farms or holdings. This should be done for each 

 separate inclosure shown on the large-scale ordnance 

 maps. Some general principles being laid down for the 

 guidance of the valuers there will be no real difficulty in 

 making the separation. An old pasture field in which 

 the hedges and gates have been constantly repaired by 

 successive tenants may be considered to be, so far as the 

 landlord is concerned, in an unimproved state. Here the 

 whole value will be land value. From this as a datum 

 the separation of improvements will take place where the 

 landlord has recently put new gates or has drained, or has 

 built sheds, bridges, or farm buildings. The valuation, 

 when complete, will show the annual value of the land for 

 the State ground-rent, the present annual value of the 

 improvements, and the present purchase value of the 

 improvements to a tenant calculated on a scale 

 determined by their quality and probable duration. 



This official valuation being made, it would be only fair 

 that the existing occupier of any farm or other land 



