THE RURAL PROBLEM 57 



§ 2. The Small Holdings Act. 



The cry of " Back to the Land " may be very largely 



political cant, but it is based on a solid foundation of truth, 



of which the evidence is to be found in the working of the 



Small Holdings Act of 1908. The annual report of the Small 



Holdings Commissioners, published in May, 1913,* gives 



full particulars of land acquired for small holdings under 



the 1908 Act. Briefly, to summarise, since the passing of 



the Act up to December 31st, 1912, 



154,977 acres have been acquired by county councils, of which 



purchased for £3,385,262, and 

 leased for £63,528 ; 

 let to 8,950 individuals ; 

 sold to 20 individuals ; 



let to 49 co-operative small holdings asso- 

 ciations, who have sub-let to 967 of their 

 members. 



In addition, 37,000 acres have been provided for 2,9S4 

 approved applicants by private landowners direct, mainly 

 through the instrumentality of the councils, and 1,586 acres 

 have been let to 192 individuals and 63 members of co- 

 operative associations by councils of county boroughs. 



The total number of applicants satisfied in five years is 

 15,176 and the number approved, but not yet satisfied, 

 is 8,508. 



The average priceof the land purchased is £32 7s. 8d. an acre 

 and the average rent of the land leased is £l 5s. 2d. an acre. 



The average size of the small holdings is between 13 and 

 14 acres ; but this is a deceptive figure, as it varies very 

 much in different parts of the country. The average for 

 Worcestershire is under 5 acres, while that for Northumber- 

 land is 31 acres. 



Small holdings are supplied, as the result of the Act, in 

 three ways. The county councils either buy the land 

 outright ; or they lease land under the Statute for terms of 

 years, renewable under notice; or, thirdhy, in 2,984 cases 

 applicants approved by the county council have obtained 

 their land by direct arrangement with the owners. At 

 present each of these methods seems to be necessary, though 

 each has its drawbacks. Purchase of land is best from 

 many standpoints — it nationalises a certain area, it secures 



* Cd. 679G\ Price 5d. 



