564 



Small Holdings in Denmark. 



[OCT., 



making labourers, fishermen, &c, if they support themselves 

 partly by working on the land. 



To benefit from the advantages offered by the law, the 

 applicant must be a Danish subject, must be between twenty- 

 five and fifty years of age, must not have been convicted of 

 any dishonourable act, must not have been a recipient of 

 poor relief, must prove himself by the attestation of two 

 respectable persons to be industrious, thrifty, and sober, and 

 lastly, must possess a certain sum of money sufficient (accord- 

 ing to the law) for the purposes of ownership of the small 

 farm, for the acquisition of which his own resources are in- 

 sufficient. The size of the holding must not be below one 

 hectare (2 J acres). 



The applicant, after having chosen a holding, forwards to 

 the commission (appointed for this purpose in each depart- 

 ment), his application containing all the necessary informa- 

 tion, as to the situation and size of the holding, probable 

 price of purchase, plans of buildings, and the amount re- 

 quired for buildings and for purchase of animals and fixtures. 

 The total amount of the loan from the State should not 

 ordinarily be more than ^360; the absolute maximum is 

 ^44° • 



After examination of this information and inspection of the 

 holding, the Commission accepts or refuses the proposal. 

 If the Commission declares the applicant qualified, approves 

 the price of the holding, and passes the buildings, stock, and 

 equipment, the applicant is entitled to claim a loan from the 

 State corresponding to nine-tenths of the value of the holding, 

 which sum is secured by a mortgage on the land, build- 

 ings, and live stock. The interest is 3 per cent.; the debtor 

 pays no instalment in the first five years; after this time 

 interest and instalments are paid by a charge of 4 per cent, 

 per annum ; after repayment of two-fifths, instalments and 

 interest are paid by a charge of 4 per cent, on the amount of 

 the debt outstanding. 



For these loans a sum of ,£222,400 is provided annually 

 in the Budget, and a sum of ,£2,200 is annually allotted for 

 the expenses of the Commissions. The total annual expendi- 

 ture is thus ,£224,600. 



Conditions attached to Ownership of Small Holdings. — 



