1908.] Small Holdings and Allotments Acts. 599 



acquired by them under the Act. The salary of such an officer would to a consider- 

 able extent be recoverable from the management fund above referred to. 



The Board do not suggest that such an officer of the Council should be employed 

 to advise them in connection with the valuation for purchase or hiring of any land 

 proposed to be acquired for small holdings. They think that for such work the 

 Council will prefer to engage the services of an experienced professional valuer, who 

 would be paid by fees calculated on the usual scale, and I am to point out that the 

 adoption of this course would facilitate the adjustment of any application by your 

 Council for the repayment under Section 17 of their expenses in relation to the 

 acquisition of land. 



The Board have received certain inquiries as to the form in which a scheme for 

 the provision of small holdings under the Act should be prepared, and in the case of 

 schemes under Sub-section (3) of Section 3, which would be of a somewhat different 

 character from schemes prepared under Sub-section (4), the Board think that they 

 might take the form of a report made to the Council by the Small Holdings Com- 

 mittee setting out the land proposed to be acquired, the price or rent at which it can 

 be obtained, the manner in which it is proposed to be sub-divided, and the method 

 and cost of the equipment, in order that the Board may be in a position to judge 

 whether the scheme is of such a character that they would be justified in giving it 

 their approval and thereby undertaking under Section 5 (4) to repay half of any loss 

 which might be incurred. Where the Council propose to acquire land at a sale by 

 auction this procedure may create some difficulty, but in most other cases it should be 

 possible to frame a scheme on these lines before the Council unconditionally enter 

 into a contract for the purchase or hiring of land, and where land is acquired at an 

 auction the Board will be ready to consider a subsequent application for their 

 approval. In these circumstances the Board do not think that any model form of 

 scheme can conveniently be prescribed, and they are of opinion that each County 

 Council should submit their proposals in the form which appears most convenient in 

 the particular circumstances of each case. It will probably be desirable to prepare a 

 separate scheme for each individual transaction, and the Board will be glad to be 

 informed at an early stage in the proceedings of any action proposed to be taken, in 

 order that they may have an opportunity of expressing their opinion before a decision 

 is arrived at as to the particular land to be acquired. 



Under Section 7 of the Small Holdings Act, 1892, as extended by Section 10 of 

 the Act of 1907, your Council are required to make rules which will have to be 

 confirmed by the Board. Model rules are therefore being prepared by the Board for 

 this purpose, and copies will be sent to you at an early date. 



It appears that a large number of small holdings associations are in process of 

 formation with a view of applying for land under Section 9 of the Act, and having 

 regard to the necessity of the Board's consent being obtained to any such letting, I 

 am to request that, if any such applications are made to your Council, you will 

 furnish the Board with a copy of the rules of the association, in order that they may 

 be in a position to judge whether the association conforms to the conditions prescribed 

 in the section. 



The Board propose to issue a circular to Parish Councils with reference to their 

 powers and duties in regard to the provision of allotments, and copies of such 

 circular will be sent to you for the information of your Council in connection^ with 

 their functions under Section 24 (1) of the Small Holdings Act, 1907. 



I shall be glad to forward to you additional copies of this Circular on application, 

 and I am to add that the Board will be happy to afford your Council any assistance or 

 advice which it is in their power to give in connection with any matters which may 

 arise under the Acts. 



I am, &c, 



T. H. Elliott, 



Secretary. 



