HE PRINCE OF WALES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20074, 11 October 1928, Page 8

HE PRINCE OF WALES.

& KOYAL BUSINESS MAN. FARMING THE DUCHY ESTATES CLOSER SETTLEMENT SCHEME. REBUILDING KENNINGTON. Ny WALTER AND LEONAnD TOWNSEND. (All Rights Reserved). No. XXIX. One of the most remarkable developments noticeable in His Royal Highness after the war was his pronounced business acumen, inherited in some part, from Iving George, who has always shown a personal interest in the management of the Duchy, and is himself a very businesslike man in private life.

It was this " business" bent in the 'Prince which appealed 30 much to the American people. They could admire personal qualities as sincerely as peoplo of the older eastern world; but first and foremost they judge a man's worth to his country by his commercial prowess. [When the American people saw that H.R.H. Princo Edward of Wales was a keen business man and a shrewd employer t>f labour, their admiration deepened into >vholesomo respect. They recognised in tho heir to the ancient Throne of England one of the finest and most efficient commercial ambassadors in tho world to-day—a side of tho Prince of which few [English peoplo are cognisant, though they have proof of tho fact on every side. Cornwall, which was constituted a Royal Duchy in 1337, to be given to tho eldest 6on of the reigning King of England, has, besides mineral workings, two other industries—farming and oyster fishing. During the war, when England mado a determined effort to be self-supporting, the oyster fisheries at Falmouth were revived «ftor lying dormant for some years. The Prince took a personal interest in them and then turned his attention to exploiting £he land. Small-holding iSystera.

Here several problems immediately arose. IThe nature of the soil was such that cultivation on a largo scala by means of .electrically-driven machinery would not bo an economically sound proposition. The Prince, therefore, decided that intensive cultivation on a small-holding system, similar to that which he saw in Northern France and Flanders, would meet the case. He thus inaugurated a small-holding system for the more independently inclined of his tenants. Knowing the difficulties before the workers, and to avoid disappointment to any workers who did not know the naturo of Cornish soil, he stipulated that only those who were aware of local conditions should be given the opportunity to work the holdings. At the same time he determined to make the most of the soil. He instituted a large farming concern and: ran it on co-partner-ship lines—thereby giving his active support to a system of democratic and cooperative trading which marks him at once as a courageous business man for, in England at least, the system of co-partner-ship trading has many sceptics. The Prince has, however, shown his ideef) interest in new industrial systems arid is a keen student of tho " co-opera-tive" movement, and has personally visited factories belonging to the English and Scottish Co-operative Wholesale Societies. Eager to learn from both workers and employers with a view to exploiting capital and labour to mutual advantage, the Prince can truly bo called the most democratic and go-ahead capitalist in England to-day! His example might well bo followed by many business magnates. ASorestation on Dartmoor. Not content with his farming ventures the' Princo turned his attention to an afforestation scheme. He proposed to plant trees each year on tho eastern side of Dartmoor upon 250 acres of suitable land, thus providing work for many unemployed. The Princo was quite aware that parts of his Kennington, London, property were in a far from desirable condition. Before, however, be began any scheme for improvemeits he decided to become acquainted personally with his tenants. This decision showed that the Princo was more than an average psychologist. If he had put in hand improvement schemes without ■really knowing the class of tenant over •whom ho was tho landlord ho might well have wasted money and caused dissatisfaction, for the poorer classes, though they welcome improvements to their dwelling houses, naturally like to have some Bay in the matter of such alterations. Accordingly, accompanied by his sister, Princess Mary, he spent first of all lan afternoon at the Old Tenants' Hostel, ■where he chatted and drank tea with his tenants, Princess Alary acting as hostess.

Tea With Tenants. One of his tenants proved to be the .toldest clown in England and the Princo of (Wales was vastly amused and interested at the old actor's reminiscences. Later the Prince visited his tenants in their own hornet., much to their great delight and Burprise. " Gosh! There's tho Prince," .whispered one woman to her daughtor, and there wa3 a wild scurry to tidy up tho kitchen. " I'll take a cup of tea with you if you don't mind," he said, observing tho teapot under the " cosy.' [And quite informally the Prince took a chair and drank his tea and chatted "just like as if ho was one of us." "I'll never part with that cup!" said tho good lady of tho house, referring to tho one from which the Prince had drunk, and to this day it is carefully preserved in tho china cupboard. Demolition, reconstruction, and houseplanning followed, and the Prince and his tenants had {he satisfaction of seeing somo pf the eyesores of Kennington removed. Tho Duchy estates comprise a part of London as well as parts of Devon, Berkshire, Wiltshire, Dorset, and the Scilly Isles. Alargo proportion of the Prince's revenue is obtained from the property situated in tho London Duchy estate round Kennintrton, South London. Wide-Spread Activities. *<A ! f U « K ' !?' h i s . hard , w °rk on the Cornish estates, the Irince had materially helped to improve local Cornish conditions and relieve unemployment in the dUtriM Moreover he had" done his part to furtht the industry of England But efforts wen, to have an even mo e t reaching effect Before many more yem had elapsed tho Prince was to hav* the, satisfaction of knowing that he was consolidating the trade of Canada bv ex porting cattle and herds from his own estates m Cornwall to his ranch, which Jie acquired in Alberta the following vaar Later the Prince was destined to ,'rovo Jjimself a thorough " business-getter" ps our friends across the Atlantic would .£«> be continued daily,J