no 



Equipment of Small Holdings. 



[may, 



and will certainly point to the necessity for such improvements 

 in the main artery as a drainage board would be empowered 

 to carry out. 



The photographs are typical of the condition of a gieat 

 number of rivers which " drain " large areas of agricultural 

 land in all parts of the country. 



The presence of a very serious obstruction (the Aqueduct) on 

 the lower part cf the River Lugg affords an instructive illus- 

 tration of the necessity for the whole of a river being under 

 the jurisdiction of a single authority — any substantial work 

 carried out in the upper reaches would be wasted or harmful 

 unless the water is given a clear run through the Aqueduct. 

 Thus by the removal of the Aqueduct an immediate benefit 

 would be conferred upon the whole of the upper parts of the 

 valley as well as upon the land in the immediate neighbourhood 

 of the Aqueduct itself. 



* * * Hi * * 



In viev/ of the continued rise in the cost of labour and building 



materials it is becoming increasingly important for County 



„ . ^ ^ « „ Councils to effect every economy in the 

 Eqnipment of Small ^ . n i. u- /• i_ xt_ 



Holdings equipment ol small holdings which they 



are providing in their areas fpr the settle- 

 ment of men on the land. There are a number of ways in which 

 expenditure might be reduced and the settler yet enabled to 

 acquire those buildings of which he stands in immediate need, 

 if he is to enter into early possession of his smaU holding. 

 These were recently outlined in a circular letter addressed by 

 the ^Ministry to County Councils in England and Wales, and 

 in view of the urgent need for national economy, they should 

 receive careful consideration at the hands of all interested. 



While it is not proposed that the minimum standards laid 

 down for cottages should be further reduced, the minimum 

 scale of sizes must be adhered to. The fittings should be as 

 inexpensive as is consistent with durability. 



With regard to farm buildings, the Ministry is of opinion that 

 a considerable reduction can be effected without loss to the 

 efficiency of the holdings. Present working requirements need 

 alone be considered, and if these are provided for, the possible 

 requirements of future development may be left over until a 

 fall in prices renders it economically possible to undertake them. 

 Equipment should be restricted to the bare limit necessary 

 to meet inmiediate needs. Reduction of cost can sometimes 

 be secured by constructing the foundations only of brick, stone 

 or concrete, the material varying with the locality. For the 

 superstructure, home-grown timber covered with elm or deal 



