File 4613/1919 Pt 7 'Mesopotamia: Land for Military Cantonments' [‎146v] (106/135)

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During the War the value of dates cfLa good tree
was from 10/- to £2.10.0. and the capital value of
the average tree a^vM> £5. The soil is good -
it was in this neighbourhood that the cotton farm was
established - and the site will, if not acquired, be
much sought after for building purposes as well,
fin the estimates quoted <£44 per acre on t#e
less cultivated and £78 per acre on the more cultivate
sites do not seem excessive.
4.It was originally proposed that the State should
reserve to itself the ri^it to acquire during the War
and 6 months afterwards,land at the value it possessed
at the time of occupation. But it is obviously unfair
that the particular owner of an Estate desired by
Government should suffer while his neighbours enjoy
to the full the benefits of the increased rise in
prices. The most recent Proclamation intended to
prevent speculation in the land likely to be acquired
by Government is dated April 1st 1919 but this secures
to the Stat§ land at its genuine market value whettaw?
this has demonstrably increased since the date of
occupation. What is required in Mesopotamia is an
enactment similar to the financial measures whereby
the major portion of unearned increment in England
goes to the State. This would be a^general application
and no individual owner could complain; but it is
a point of domestic economy which need not be raised
with -the W.O.
5.There Terrains the question whether the Civil
administration or the War Office should purchase the
land. There seem to be two arguments; the future
state of Mesopotamia is to be "Arab” and it mi^it
avoid
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