THE POCKET HANDKERCHIEF ALLOTMENT.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 308, 22 September 1908, Page 9

THE POCKET HANDKERCHIEF ALLOTMENT.

A CHECK TO EMIGRATION. In conjunction with any new methods which may be in prospect for attracting a larger 'number of immigrants to Australia it may bo well to note (says tho London correspondent of the Melbourne "Argus") how easily "desirable" English agriculturists of somo means can bo persuaded to stay at home. Tho demand for little blocks of land under the new Small Holdings Act—land which tho farmer is not to bo allowed to make his own,' and which at best can yield nothing mora than a Bare living—has already exceeded all expectations. Tho latest particulars of this demand, which have been given in the Houso of Lords by Earl Carrington, as president of : the Board of Agriculture, are very interesting. ■ - ' , • Since' the Act camo into force at the beginning of the year 19,419 persons havo applied for a: total area of 309,000 acres. The County Councils and the Board -of Agriculture are now trying to satisfy tho majority of the applications with the'leasi disturbance to existing tenancies. Crown lands are available for the purpose in soma counties, but as a rule Mocks will bo obtained from the large estate-owners through tho local Councils. An intention to resort to compulsory hiring has so far been notified to tho Board of Agriculture in only, two or thrco cases. Lord Carrington expressed surpriso at the largo percentage of eligible applicants reported, and especially at the amount of the capital ready for tho, working of tho land. In Cambridgeshire, ho said, G73 applicants were approved out of 865; in the Isle of' Wight everyone had been accepted as suitable, and the goneral opinion in all parts of the country was that tho applicants were just tho sort of men they wanted, whilo their capital was far greater than advocates of small had any reason to anticipate. He took four counties. In Dorset 206 applicants- had £14,000 "in cash, besides stock and implements: in Hants, 140 had £11,000; in Herefordshire, 130 haj £9000; in Cheshire, 180 had £26,000; while in the Holland Division of/Lincolnshire 490 applicants had money that would enablo them to put f G per aero into the land. When tho unsuitable applicants had been weeded our it was estimated that in thoso four counties the people could put down at least £5 per aero on the 14,000 acres for which they had applied.- Up to tho present small holdings, with a total area of about 2000 acres, were definitely" in view. They wera scattered over Worcestershire, Lincolnshire Rutlandshire, Montgomeryshire, Yorkshire' Devonshire, Wiltshire, Cheshire, SdWrsetshire, Norfolk-, and Cambridgeshire. Negotiations for additional blocks wero prcceedin" in sovoral other counties. ' °

: Lord Carnngton mentioned that the rents would bo regulated in accordance with thoso ruling in tlio open market. In some cases the amounts will evidently bo high. For a Week of 26 acres purchased outright by the Somerset Council £2400 had to bo paid, in Buckinghamshire the local council has been offered 500 acres at an average of £13 per acre, or, us an alternative, 13s. rent per aero, but what the quality of this laud is Lord Cariinjiton did, not state. Speaking generally of the wr.rk of getting land, he does not anticipate much opposition from tho estate owners at present. Tho real " lion in tho path " is the largo farmer, who known that ho is liable to have blocks cut out of his property, and that ho is to bo denied any compensation for disturbance.

Tho only kind of Protection which would help us in Ireland would bo a tariff on foreign foodstuffs, which would givo us a preferenco across tho Channel, or elso Protection against English manufactures.—" Irish Homestead," Dublin. Deep-seated in tho Englishman's soul is the > immovable faith that British supremacy.is one of the divine,' eternal laws. It is no* matter for argument with him.'' Whatever is English is right. Whatever is un-English is wrong.— "North-'American," Philadelphia." •