i9ii.] 



Small Holdings Act. 



253 



Compliance with the instructions will save much unnecessary delay. 

 Works of adaptation should not in any case be commenced until the 

 Local Government Board have sanctioned the loan in respect of them. 



I am, &c, 



T. H. Elliott, 



Secretary. 



The Board have addressed the following Circular, dated 15th May, 

 191 1, to County Councils and Councils of County Boroughs in England 

 and Wales, with regard to the provision of 

 small holdings : — 

 Small Holdings Act. Sir.— I am directed by the Board of Agri- 

 Provision of Holdings culture an< ^ Fisheries to inform you that they 

 for Unsatisfied have had under consideration the information 

 Applicants. supplied by County Councils as to the number 



of applicants who have been provisionally 

 approved as suitable for small holdings, but who have not yet been 

 provided with land. 



It appears that on the 31st December last 8,168 individuals and 7 

 associations whose applications for small holdings had been approved 

 had not been supplied with land, and that the estimated quantity of land 

 required for the purpose was 127,256 acres. 



The Board are of opinion that the time has come when a special 

 effort must be made to deal with this unsatisfied demand, and for this 

 purpose it is necessary that they should be supplied with full information 

 on the subject in order that they may be in a position to advise as to 

 the steps which should be taken. 



The inquiries which the Board have made in certain parts of the 

 country indicate that a considerable number of the unsatisfied applicants 

 have received and refused offers of suitable land which could have been 

 obtained for them on reasonable terms, and that many others are not 

 prepared to pay the rents which would have to be charged for the land 

 they want. In the case of other applicants it has appeared on further 

 investigation that they have insufficient capital to take a holding with 

 any prospect of success. It is the case of the admittedly suitable appli- 

 cants for whom holdings have not yet been provided which demands 

 special attention at the present time, and the Board propose to increase 

 their staff with a view to assist County Councils to deal promptly and 

 systematically with these cases. 



In order that the real extent of the work to be done may be ascer- 

 tained, the Board would be obliged if you would fill up the enclosed 

 form of Return* as to the applications received by your Council up 'to 

 the end of igio, and also supply a list of the names and addresses of all 

 the unsatisfied approved applicants, stating the date on which they 

 applied, the quantity of land desired, whether or not land has been offered 

 to them by the Council, and adding any other observations which your 

 Council may wish to make. It would be convenient if the list can be 

 arranged according to the parishes and other divisions of the county in 

 which the applicants reside. The Board will then instruct one of their 

 officers to inquire into each application and to report as to the steps 

 that should be taken to deal with it. If it is found that it is imprac- 



* Not printed. 



