Farmer and Settler (Sydney, NSW : 1906 - 1955), Friday 8 September 1911, page 2


IPeasaaft Propiriietoir'sMp

WHAT IT WOULD DO FOR ENGLAND.

In 'Rural Denmark and Its Lessons,' Mr. Rider Haggard, who is a great believer in peasant proprietorship, and prciches its advantages to British agriculturists, has this to tayi 'Let us suppose that a few genera

tions ago a now Danish invasion oi England had taken place, and that tho East Anglian and somo adjoining counties had beon rcpopulatcd, or were dominated, by Danes, as happened in tho days of King Canute. In that event what would bo tho agricultural condition of those counties at tho present time ? By the vjorkinjr of tho Danish laws of inheritance, and of tho general customs and Instincts of that people, the large estates would be broken up Into much smaller holdings, All I ho fen and other suitable, lands would

be divided among a multitude of link freeholders, or perhaps of State tenants holding under n perpetual lease, In ever)' country town would be seen tho tall chimneys of the butter, eugarbect, and bncon factories i and in every city grc.it co-operative milkdistrlbuting companies would bo established. Dotted about tho countryside would appear more, many more, farmsteads than are to bo found to-ilny, each of thorn tho residence of a small landowner, In every ono of these houses, and In a groat number of tho small holders' cottages, the telephone would 'be Installed, Also every village of more than a certain size would be lit by electric light, an in Denmark— no small boon in tho long winter scuson. 'The great cottage question, too, Sow so insoluble, would have been met y the erection, with the aid of coopcrijtlve building societies, of a sufficient number of wholesome nnd suit