SANDRINGHAM VILLAGES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VIII, Issue 50, 12 December 1891, Page 677

SANDRINGHAM VILLAGES.

A great charm of the Prince of Wales' estate at Sandringham lies in the thoughtful beneficent care that is shown for the housing and welfare of the employes. The three villages on the estate —Babingley, West Newton, and Dersingham—when the Prince acquired the property, were types of the primitive Norfolk village, so well described in Dr. Jessopp’s • Arcadia.’ The houses were tumble down hovels, and the farm labourers, who only received 9s a week, could not read or write, and had all sense of self-respect crushed out of them. Now everything has sufl’ered a change, and West Newton will challenge comparison with any model village in this or any other country. The cottages are so substantial and nice, and set amid such bright gardens, that anyone of moderate means quite envies the occupiers their happy lot. The church has been elaborately restored, a canteen, reading room, and library erected, many miles of new roar! opened, and the common stretching towards Babingey has been entirely changed in appearance, and made beautiful by extensive plantations. A tall tower for the supply of water has been erected, and also a cottage hospital at Babingley. It is small wonder that whenever the Princess drives her ponies through the village that a cordial ‘God bless her ’ is murmured with every deep curtsey from the mothers and the red-cloaked school-girls. The village folk all believe that the psalmist wrote in his haste, like another oft-quoted aphorism, ‘ Put not your trust in princes. Wolverton Church and village also are exceedingly well ordered, as indeed a village ought to be where the convallaria is found wild. A hackney stud has been established here for the benefit of the tenants, to which everyone will wish success. If socialists like Tom Mann, and theorists like Mr Dyke Acland, had seen, like the present writer, the changes for the better that have been wrought from pure goodwill in these villages, they would be less sure of their cry, ‘ Perish the land system.’ The Prince of Wales' example in this matter has been and is being followed by a great number of other landowners.