58 THE RURAL PROBLEM 



the small holdings for ever and allows the eounty council 

 to build cottages freely. On the other hand, it tends to 

 raise the price of land, it involves an increase of county 

 loans and, most serious of all, it is almost impracticable 

 where land has a substantial building value — that is, in the 

 neighbourhood of large towns and, in the case of London, 

 in the greater part of the Home Counties. Land at Limps- 

 field, for example, which lets at 20s. an acre or less, is 

 worth anything up to £600 or £700 for building. It is 

 practically impossible for the county council to buy and 

 let to small holders at a possible rent for cultivating. But 

 in purely rural districts county councils usually buy outright. 



The most serious objection to statutory leasing is that 

 the county council cannot build. This difficulty is got 

 over by purchasing or hiring for 99 years a small area 

 sufficient for building cottages. But this complicates the 

 matter and in some cases is impracticable. 



Direct arrangement with the owner has the advantage of 

 rapidity and probably of cheapness, but the disadvantages 

 that the tenant has not permanent security of tenure and 

 is not relieved from the bondage of feudal tradition. 



In spite of their respective drawbacks, it seems impossible, 

 and on the whole undesirable, to make any change in this 

 matter. County council purchase and hiring are each best 

 in certain districts ; and direct arrangement with the owner 

 cannot be prevented even if we wish it to be. 



That there is a real demand for small holdings cannot bf 

 denied. In the first year 23,000 applicants filled in forms 

 but a considerable number were rejected on the ground of 

 not having capital. Numerous approved applicants have 

 lost heart owing to delays on the part of the county councils 

 and have gone off to the colonies. Many applicants who 

 have been approved for 4| years are still without land. 

 Many more would apply for land if they did not think the 

 Act a dead letter.* 



* In Somerset there are 1,060 approved applicants for 13,530 acres 

 still unsatisfied ; in the Holland Division of Lincolnshire 774 for 16,000 

 acres. In this county the demand is described as " practically un- 

 limited " and the arrears increase year by year. The unsatisfied 

 demand in Cambridge is 504, applicants for 5,000 acres ; in Lindsey 

 404 applicants for 6,500 acres ; in Norfolk 433 applicants for 6,191 

 acres ; in Cheshire 219 applicants for 7,800 acres, etc. 



