356 Co-operation in Tenure of Small Holdings, [aug., 



There is, however, a further clause in the Act of 1907 which, 

 if used, would throw the burden of such organising work on 

 the shoulders of others and relieve County Councillors of any 

 responsibility beyond the first inception. By this clause 

 County Councils are expressly permitted to employ as agents 

 for this purpose any society which has as one of its objects the 

 promotion of co-operation in connection with the cultivation 

 of small holdings and allotments. 



Here, then, was the opportunity of the Agricultural Organi- 

 sation Society. They recognised the importance of these 

 clauses, which were only too likely to be overlooked by busy 

 County Councillors trying to grasp the main points of the 

 Act in connection with their special duties in acquiring land. 

 A circular letter was therefore sent by the president of the 

 Society, Mr. Yerburgh, M.P., to all the County Councils, 

 calling special attention to the clauses mentioned above, and 

 offering the services of the Agricultural Organisation Society, 

 whose experience in such work is perhaps unique. This 

 circular ran as follows : — ■ 



My Committee venture to suggest that, as a preliminary to the 

 provision of small holdings, your Council should take steps through this 

 Society to organise those desirous of obtaining them into co-operative 

 societies having power to acquire land and sub-let it to members. Under 

 Section 4, Sub-Section (3) of the Small Holdings Act, 1892, County 

 Councils have power to let land to such societies, and the power is 

 confirmed by Section 9 of the 1907 Act. 



The formation of these Societies would greatly facilitate the work of 

 the County Council in providing small holdings, since they would be deal- 

 ing, in any district, with a single body instead of with a large number of 

 individual holders. The rents, too, would be collected by the Society 

 and paid to the Council in one lump sum. The holders, moreover, being 

 already co-operatively organised, could undertake without difficulty the 

 purchase of requirements or sale of produce on co-operative lines, or 

 any other form of agricultural co-operation. 



The Agricultural Organisation Society is prepared to provide model 

 rules for such small-holdings societies, to send down an organiser to 

 explain how these societies are formed, to see to the formalities of 

 registration, and to give subsequent guidance when needed. 



This letter, sent out in October, 1907, is the first step in the 

 history of the first organised movement to deal with the co- 

 operative holding of land. Unfortunately, save for a few 

 inquiries, no response was made by County Councils beyond 



