232 SUBDIVISION IN OTHEK COUNTRIES 



many cantons restriping has been systematically ordered on 

 a compulsory basis in connection with the construction of 

 public works such as road-making, canals, drainage or 

 surveys. Commissions are appointed to carry out the work 

 and grants of public money made to facilitate the work. In 

 the canton of St. Gall it is shown that restriping with closer 

 grouping, adapted to local conditions, has caused all the 

 inconveniences due to subdivision and fragmentation to 

 disappear, and the enhanced value of the holdings resulting 

 from this work is estimated at from 60 per cent, to 77 per 

 cent. 



As a result of the experience gained by the operation of 

 these communal laws the principle has now been accepted 

 in the Swiss Federal Legislation, and Article 703 of the Swiss 

 Civil Code provides for the compulsory restriping of land 

 when the project is approved of by two-thirds of the persons 

 interested, representing more than half the land. The 

 cantons have the power of modifying this provision for their 

 own purposes, and work on their own laws. M. Girsberger 

 estimates the increased value obtained by restriping at francs 

 500 per hectare (Rs.153 per acre), and calculates the minimum 

 annual saving due to the work already undertaken at one 

 million francs* (= Rs.GJ lakhs). 



E. Austria. — In Austria extensive agricultural work con- 

 nected with the reform of land tenures, the reclamation 

 of waste lands, homestead settlements, etc., is undertaken 

 by Commissions. The restriping of fragmented holdings is 

 part of the work entrusted to such Commissions. Under 

 the law of 1883 restriping could be enforced upon the 

 application of half the land-holders affected, but under a 

 recent law restriping can be enforced upon the application 

 of one-third of the land- holders affected, provided that they 

 enjoy half the net yield of the parcels of land to be restriped. 



* " Bulletin of Economic and Social Intelligence " for March, 1913, 

 published by the International Institute of Agriculture, Rome. 



