AN INDUSTRIAL COLONY.

Colonist, Volume LII, Issue 12757, 1 April 1910, Page 4

AN INDUSTRIAL COLONY.

In the course of an interesting article on the Hadleigh Land and Industrial Colony, belonging to the Salvation. Army, published in a recent issue of -the "War Cry" it stated that the Colony has not only achieved unparalleled success since its inception, in the great work of making men out of the raw materials of the streets, but as a plilanthropio institution it has also served as a model to municipalities and Governments throughout the world. "Nowhere are the principles of a prudence and economy more rigidly applied than in the farm colony," says the article, which continues: "When in modern history has such an achievement been witnessed as this, . that during tlie past_ twelve months, with labour taken originally from the streets, a » turnover of £29,000 has been produced from tho land, Yet such is the outstanding figure, of the farm colony's finance, notwithstanding the fact that the past year has been' bad, and in many cases a disastrous one to farmers, graziers, and fruitgrowers." The farm colony orchards i» 1909 produced 3,558 bushels of apples, 2,840 bushels of plums, ,50 tons of gooseberries, and £400 worth of strawberries and raspberries. It is interesting to note that the colony produces no fewer than 28 distinct varieties of apples 21 of plums, and 30 of vegetables. The -poultry farm has also had a record year, and won many prizes in competition with 'the pick of the poultry yards in the world. Altogether 70 tons of onions were raised by the colonists' last yeaf. The colouists came from the "underworld of London," and they leave the colony robust and capable, some to make for themselves homes and careers in tho .colonies, others to return to the ranks of the workers - in our own iand; 'The number of colonists actualjv in residence during 1909 was a distinct advance on recent years. Largo parties of colonists, rescued within the last few weeks from the Thames Embankment and tlie streets of London, are now busily engaged in making new and permanent roads which will be a great boon to tlie colony, assisting in its economic working, and adding to the future value of the .estate. Every dormitory is filled to its utmost capacity, and new developments are being pushed forward.