APPENDIX III 249 



tracts where the holdings are still, on the whole, of reason- 

 able dimensions. 



4. The evils of this excessive subdivision and fragmenta- 

 tion of land may be briefly stated as follows : — 



(a) they impede current cultivation and waste time ; 



(b) they prevent permanent improvements being under- 

 taken ; 



(c) they prevent a cultivator from living on his farm ; 



(d) they prevent the organisation of labour and capital ; 



(e) they frequently result in second crops not being 

 grown ; 



(J) they sometimes send the land out of cultivation 

 altogether ; 



(g) they cause enmity amongst neighbours, leading to 

 litigation and permanent feuds ; 



(h) they produce a generally uneconomic situation. 



In view of the fact that a large proportion of the cultivable 

 land has been reduced to these unfavourable conditions, it 

 is almost impossible to expect any substantial economic 

 improvement amongst the majority of the land-holders until 

 the fundamental impediment is removed. So long as the 

 existing laws of inheritance continue to operate in such a 

 way as to subdivide holdings continuously from generation 

 to generation it is impossible either for land-owners or for 

 the Executive Government to take any steps in the direction 

 of consolidation of holdings which would have more than a 

 temporary effect. The object of this Bill is to enable such 

 land-owners as may wish to do so to check the further sub- 

 division of their lands and to enable them, when it is other- 

 wise possible, to effect a permanent consolidation of their 

 holdings ; and also to enable the Executive Government to 

 secure the same results in respect of unoccupied land. The 

 legislation proposed is purely enabling, and it will be opera- 

 tive in the case of any holding only upon the expressed wish 

 of every person possessing an interest in that holding. 



