SMALL-HOLDINGS AND THE SMALL-HOLDER. 



299 



under proper conditions for repayment, will place such money as is 

 necessary within the reach of eligible men. 



In addition to the provision of land and money, the small-holder 

 should be educated in the knowledge of how to use both to the best 

 advantage. The cultivation of the soil is beset with unexpected con- 

 ditions which make the results of any operation uncertain even for 

 those who have made it their life's business, and it is obvious that 

 : success must be much more difficult of attainment for those with little 

 or no experience. This points to the necessity for giving small-holders 

 regular and systematic courses of instruction in the numerous branches 

 into which agricultural pursuits and rural industries are divided and 

 sub-divided. With such expert teaching to supplement the provision 

 of land and capital, re-colonization of the deserted country districts 

 would proceed rapidly on lines by which material success would be 

 assured. 



But, as I have already said, the worst condition attending work 

 on the land is the isolation and the evil consequences which arise from 

 it. No small-holding scheme can be really satisfactory which makes 

 no attempt to provide for the social life of the people concerned, or at 

 least to lay the foundations of the scheme so that intercourse between 

 the small-holders themselves and between them and the rest of the world 

 would be easy. To this end I suggest that holdings should be grouped 

 into communities of from 100 to 200 families, all engaged in some main 

 industry or in work allied to it. The choice of the chief industry would, 

 of course, be determined by the suitability of the soil and its position 

 in regard to railways, markets, or large centres of population. In 

 - connexion with each community enough land should be held in reserve 

 to provide for the expansion which would inevitably take place, both 

 for subsidiary and complementary enterprises and for social purposes. 

 The cottages and out-buildings should be grouped about a common 

 centre, together with such erections as are necessary for storing, 

 grading, despatching, or in any way manipulating the products on a 

 co-operative basis. A public hall and schools, as well as telegraph, 

 telephone, and post office, would naturally be included, and all sorts 

 of independent business and social agencies would follow in due course. 

 For such a compact community it would be easy and economical to 

 lay on public services of water, light, and motive power, and possibly 

 a light railway connected with a main line. Such a scheme is not only 

 practicable, but would be profitable, even as a cash investment, and it 

 must be remembered that such an investment would be in the soundest 

 bank in the v/orld — the land and the people. The limits of this short 

 paper preclude my giving figures, but I have satisfied myself by careful 

 calculations that after a few years the rents derived from the holdings, 

 business premises, and numerous accessories would give an ample 

 return on the outlay, whilst the benefit to the nation as a whole would 

 be incalculable. 



In considering personal qualifications for success in the manage- 

 ment of a small holding we meet with the most elusive factor of the 



