ABSTRACT
This chapter endeavours to prove that the giving of free land for houses is no injustice to existing ratepayers, but that in fact the scheme is self-supporting. As land becomes still more valuable, what were formerly the gardens of these houses have been built upon, thus producing slums, courts, and rookeries. The amount of money required to be invested in land would relatively be small, compared to the benefits to be derived by the whole district. The cost of the land should not exceed one-tenth of the cost of the property erected upon it; thus there would be ample margin for security. But it may be urged that the mere giving of the land would effect no reduction in rents, and that the cottages built on free land would not necessarily be let at such rentals as would be any inducement in attracting from the centre to the suburbs.
