28 THE PRACTICAL SIDE OF 



convince the Council that he is in a position 

 as regards means and experience to manage 

 his holding successfully. 



According to the Small Holdings Act a 

 'small holding' is an agricultural holding 

 which exceeds one acre and is no more than 

 fifty acres in extent. If, however, the annual 

 value as based upon the income tax assess- 

 ment does not exceed £50 a year, it may ex- 

 ceed fifty acres. A County or Town Council 

 may either purchase or hire land for the 

 provision of Small Holdings within or without 

 the county or the borough over which they 

 have authority. Where it is impossible to 

 obtain land by agreement with the owner, 

 a Comicil has power to acquire it without his 

 consent, subject to certain restrictions. Thus, 

 they cannot acquire compulsorily land which 

 forms part of any holding v/hich does not 

 exceed fifty acres in extent. No land, how- 

 ever, can be thus acquired until the value 

 has been fixed by an arbitrator, nor without 

 the confirming order of the Board of Agri- 

 culture. A Council has the power to erect 

 a dwelling-house and buildings suitable to 

 the holding, and to adapt the land to the 

 purpose required. Where a Council acquires 

 land upon a lease or compulsorily, they can 



