Allotments and Small Holdings, 
441 
Indeed, in reference to these returns, Major Craigie, in his 
Report dated July 18, 1890,' says: 
“ Making every allowance for the possible imperfections of the 
earlier figures, it seems impossible to resist the conclusion that 
a large and important increase has taken place. It is note- 
worthy that the rate of annual increase in the last four years 
has been apparently three times as rapid as between 1873 and 
1886.” 
By the Allotments Act of 1890 increased powers were given 
for the acquirement of allotments ; but whether the process has 
or has not thereby been quickened, there is no published evidence 
to show. At any rate there is, so far as we are aware, no 
reason to believe that the rate of increase has been less during 
the last two than during the preceding four years ; and if the 
increase during the four years 1886-1890 was 97,210, it seems 
quite reasonable to assume that during the five years from the 
passing of the Allotments Act of 1887 up to the present time, 
the increase has considerably exceeded 100,000. Nor is it the 
least satisfactory element of the result that, out of the very large 
increase that has undoubtedly taken place, so few (only 2,891) 
had to be obtained under the provisions of the Acts, and only one 
compulsorily, as is shown by a return to an order of the House 
of Commons, issued by the Local Governnaent Board, under 
date of June 17, 1892 (No. 310). In fact, it would seem that, 
as is desirable it should be, the influence of the Acts has chiefly 
been to stimulate voluntary action. 
The Return in question shows the number of instances in 
which Rural Sanitary Authorities, under the provisions of the 
Allotments Act, 1887, and County Councils, under the provisions 
of the Allotments Acts of 1887 and 1890, have acquired land 
for allotments, by compulsory purchase, purchase by agreement, 
or hire by agreement ; it also shows the parish in which the land 
has been acquired, the acreage, and the number to whom allot- 
ments have been let under the Act. It further shows, what 
Sanitary Authorities have not taken land for allotments, and in 
each case the reason why they had not done so. It appears 
that fifty-six Rural Sanitary Authorities have acquired land for 
allotments under the Allotments Act, 1887 ; in twelve parishes 
by purchase under agreement, and in eighty-two by hire under 
agreement. The total area so acquired was 1,126 acres, and 
the total number of tenants to whom the allotments had been let 
was 2,733. Five hundred and eighteen Rural Sanitary Autho- 
' Keturn of Allotments and Small Holdings in Great Britain, obtained for 
the Board of Agriculture by the Inland Kerenue Department (C. — 6144), 1890. 
I I 2 
