438 Agricultural Labourers in Denmark, [oct., 



is a safeguard against excessive claims, whilst ample protection 

 is given to the policy holders by the policy conditions which, 

 in the main follow those of other fire insurance companies. The 

 policies do not extend to injury or death by lightning. 



The Danish Government have recently undertaken an enquiry 



into the results obtained from the legislation of 1899 which 



was intended to facilitate the provision of 



Allotments for small holdings for agricultural labourers. 



Under the Act of 1899, which was re^ 

 LaDourers in , 

 Denmark. enacted in a somewhat amended form 



in 1904, a committee is to be organized 



in every county council division to co-operate in procuring 



plots of land for bond fide agricultural labourers. The labourers 



must be able to provide one-tenth of the total cost of the land, 



suitable buildings, stock, implements, &c. 



The land is to be from 2J to 10^ acres in extent, and its total 

 value must not exceed about ^280. If all the requirements are 

 •satisfied, including the production of evidence that the applicant 

 is in possession of the necessary means to provide buildings, 

 cattle, tools, &c., a loan from the State equal to nine-tenths of 

 the mortgage value of the property can be obtained. The 

 interest on the loan is 3 per cent., and no principal is to be 

 repaid during the first five years ; after that 4 per cent, is to be 

 paid on two-fifths of the loan for interest and principal, and 

 when this part has been repaid, the rest of the loan is to be 

 repaid at the same rate. 



A sum of 3,000,000 kr. 167,000) is to be set aside every 

 year for five years for this purpose. During the five years, 

 April, 1900, to 31st March, 1905, 1,859 allotments were acquired 

 in this way, with loans amounting to ^^363,000. 



From the enquiry* referred to above, it appears that about 

 two- thirds of the holdings are in Jutland, and the remainder in 

 the Islands. Satisfactory replies were received from the owners 

 of 1,814 out of the 1,859 holdings, and these returns showed 

 9,145 persons as resident on the allotments, or about five to 



* Deu'.scher Reichsanzeiger, August 17th, 1906. 



