LORD ROSEBERY AS A LANDLORD

New Zealand Mail, 21 February 1901, Page 58

LORD ROSEBERY AS A LANDLORD

Lord Rosebery’s most extensive property is in Scotland, where his estates comprise 20,000 acres, with a rental of £20,300- T’hei estate known as Rosebery lies at the base of the Moorfoot hills, on the south of Midlothian. There is no family dwelling-house, but only a shoot-ing-lodge. Mr Gladstone slept there on one of his Midlothian campaigns. Sometimes, but rarely, the Earl visits these outlying possessions, which are usually let to an Edinburgh friend for the autumn. There is a story that when he Succeeded to the title he was ignorant of the exact position of the estate, and as Edinburgh water is partly derived from the Moorfoot hills, hel called at the Water Trust Office to ask direc tions' tor his coachman. Mr A. L. Drysdale. his present factor, has, with the-full concurrence and approval of his Lordship, made Dalmeny a centre of interest for agriculturalists from all parts of the world. Some months ago an article appeared in the “Nineteenth Century” under the title ‘''Manuring with Brains,” which explained the experiments at Dalmeny. Colonial agriculturalists often come to gather sitggestions from his model estate.

Lord Rosebery’s famous herd of shorthorn cattle, which has won him so many prizes at Birmingham, Smithfield and elsewhere, is kept on the Dalmeny grounds. The sheep and pigs are also prosperous, comfortable-looking creatures on which the eyes of the judges at shows may be trusted to alight with approval. Lord Rosebery’s prize animals have frequently been out-rivalled by Her Majesty’s only. The chief amusement of the last Smithfield Show was the competition between the beautiful heifers belonging to the Queen and: her late Prime Minister. Some years ago there was a sale of shorthorn cattle at Dalmeny. Lairds and farmers assembled from every part of Scotland. Lord Rosebery, accompanied by his children, spent the day in making the acquaintance of his visitors. Hoi talked about the weather, the crops, the prospects of the autumn shows, as if he had no interests in the wider world of statesmanship. Sir Richard Varney warned the Earl of Leicester not to put himself ‘‘outside the profession of politics,” as he would find the life o fa country gentleman intolerably tedious. The strangers at Dalmeny may well have thought that their distinguished host, who had held the highest office in the State, was not suffering too severely from disappointed ambition. The workmen of the Dalmeny estate are treated with consideration and kindness. When Lord Rosebery became Premier, an article appeared in an English paper describing the life of the ploughmen and labourers on the heme farm. The married men have! good cottages, with gardens; for the unmarried there is the model bothy, with large central sitting-room well supplied with daily and weekly newspapers, and a separate bedroom for each man. A caretaker keeps the fire burning while the men are at work, and also arranges for the cooking of their evening meal. AVages are good, and a workman may. if he chooses, spend his whole life on the estate. When too old for heavy tasks, he is provided with some light and comfortable billet, £o That he may not feel he is dependent on charity. The old people round the Earl’s 'English country homes, even if they do not happen to belong to the estate, seldom look to him in vain for needed help. Not long ago he was strolling through the village of Grafton, near Mentmore, and meeting an aged labourer, ho made inquiries as to his health and circumstances. “Do you get any help from the hous# 1 ?” lie asked, meaning Mentmore. “Yes, I get 2s 6d a week from the Guardians,” said the* poor old fellow, thinking that his Lordship referred to the workhouse. The ex-Premier expressed his sympathy, gave the man a sovereign, and later sent word that in future he would receive 10s a week as long as he lived. —“The Woman at Home.”