186 PROBLEMS OF VILLAGE LIFE 



Legislative proposals of the future may, 

 of course, render the process of freehold 

 ownership more attractive for our small- 

 holders, but at present there can be no doubt 

 that the opinion of practical agriculturists is 

 overwhelmingly in favour of tenancy. 1 The 

 history of our country too is full of warnings 

 against the re-establishment of the very 

 system of small ownership which failed so 

 signally hi the past. Some of the causes 

 which brought about the disappearance of the 

 ancient freeholders, e.g., the Enclosure Acts, 

 have, of course, ceased to be operative. But 

 the small owner is still exposed to special 

 risks of failure. These arise from the fact 

 to use Mrs. Wilkin's words that " land in 

 small lots is in demand at prices above its 

 purely agricultural value. The small free- 

 holder, helped on to a holding at agricultural 

 prices by State aid, is at the mercy of tempta- 

 tions to part with it owing to the enhanced 

 value offered by neighbouring landowners 

 with game preserves to be kept quiet, by town 

 gentlemen qualifying for the position of landed 

 gentry, by the retired tradesmen with money 

 to invest, by the week-ender on the look-out 



1 Of 23,122 approved applicants for land under the 

 Small Holdings Act of 1907, only 2.7 per cent, desired to 

 purchase their holdings. 



