74 HOLDINGS 



cent. ; and there is a general consensus of opinion as 

 to the increased yields of crops obtained by reason of 

 these measures and as to the reduction in the cost of 

 production. 



From a study of the action taken in other countries 

 it is clear that a remedy can be found for the evils of 

 subdivision and fragmentation of land, and it would be 

 easy to propose drastic measures for the reconstitution 

 of holdings, involving some degree of expropriation 

 and compulsory restripment; but it is certain that 

 such a proposal would be considered as an outrage to 

 Hindu sentiment and would meet with strong opposi- 

 tion. The land-holders, large and small, are, however, 

 fully aware of the inconvenience caused to them by 

 the existing conditions, and many of them would 

 welcome a measure which offered a remedy without 

 introducing the element of compulsion. At present 

 if a man owns 5 acres and has five sons the law 

 compels him to give 1 acre to each son, though he 

 may be well aware that such an arrangement is un- 

 suitable and uneconomic. In other words, the law 

 makes a will for a man which, if he made it for him- 

 self, would cause him to be considered a fool. With 

 a view to enable the discriminating land-holder to 

 escape from this predicament, a bill was drafted in 

 1916 to enable land-holders who wished to do so to 

 constitute permanent, economic holdings not subject 

 to partition. This Bill is printed as Appendix III. 

 For various reasons it never came before the Legis- 

 lative Council, but it is probable that, had its provisions 



