BAD FARM COTTAGES

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 138, 7 December 1912, Page 14

BAD FARM COTTAGES

ENGLISH RUHAL CONDITIONS. lltua) housing «n Esecx' was strongly, condemned on 12th October nt the annual dinner of the Harlow Agricultural Association. . Mr. John Balfour. master of the Essex Staghounde, expressed regret that the number of young ploughmen who cosno forward to take part in contefcle was steadily decreasing all over Eetex, and said he felt one of the causes was dissatisfaction with the cottages provided for farm workers. HoW could young people be expected to settle dow n 111 such utsdenirablo cottages as were to be found on many farms? Many panaceas had been put forward for improving the home life of those wlio worked upon tho land, but b& far lie had not seen the remedy nuggested that every landowner should bo obliged *to provide a stated number of fcood cottages upon every farm, acftobding to the number of men employed there. It was the duty of landlords to pcovide de» cent homes for the workpeople on the land, and to offer every encouragement for young people to settle down and marry in the rural district* where they were brought up. ' Colonel Mark Lockwood, M.P., saitl farmers could not expec{> to get good men unless they had decent cottages for them to live in. Mr. Frederick Edwards, chairman of Harlow Council, said he supported Mr. Balfour'e suggestion. He should bo very sorry lo see the cost of building cottages in rural places fall on the rates, because it was a clear duty for th© landlord to put. right the present shortage-, and to ' replace undesirable cottages with better ones.