On Monday in the House of Lords Lord Onslow asked
the President of the Board of Agriculture about the action taken by County Councils under the Small Holdings Acts. He remarked that considerable expectations had been aroused in many persons that they would be in possession of land by this time, and he could not help holding Lord Carrington respon- sible for having made thent too sanguine. Lord Carrington answered that the Councils had appointed Small Holdings and Allotments Committees, and steps had been taken to ascertain the extent of the demand for land. In twenty-eight counties valuers had been appointed to aid the Committees, and they had been very helpful. There was a great demand for small holdings, but in some cases the demand was from unsuitable persons. There was very little backwardness on the part of landlords in providing land, but if necessary the com- pulsory powers would be employed. Lord Lansdowne said that the success which had been achieved would have been impossible without the co-operation of the County Councils, which were clearly the proper authorities to deal with the small holder. Lord Carrington's own statement proves that landlords are not really, as was said, reluctant to provide land for small holdings.
