Two Pictures

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLII, Issue 23, 9 June 1909, Page 16

Two Pictures

The Peril of the Slum—The Economy of Good Housing

(By

CHARLES C. READE.)

¥HE batiks of the Mersey presents one of the most remarkable contrasts in human habitations that exists in the world to-day. Nowhere are the differences of environment, with all its attendant influences on mankind, more strikingly demonstrated. Here are two pictures. Down in the va''ey, wedged hi between the walls of great factories, are rows and rows of three and four storied houses, blackened with dirt and smoke, and punctuated by endless chimney pots straggling desperately above the slated roofs. There are neither gardens nor yards— only houses, back to back, gazing gloomily into narrow' courtyards, or winding through cramped and crooked streets where washing hangs night and day—drab splashes of colour that mock the dingiuess. The courts and streets are filled with children and children’s voices revelling round the one tap that probably supplies forty householders. The voices, sometimes shrill, sometimes husky, sound far into the night, for the Call of sleep in the slum comes late. There is neither sentiment nor joy in the scene. The night of poverty, the Squalor of the surroundings, transfix the thoughts with other things. But where are the parents? Down at the street corner there is a low building conspicuous by its tawdry lights and the .voices within. The state of the atmosphere is shown by the moisture that runs down the window pane. All signs are within save for a seedy figure that scrapes outside on a cracked and broken hearted fiddle. You may go in if you choose. It is not wise to do so, not that the people within are not good-hearted and hilarious enough—heaven knows. It is just a question whether you can stand the atmosphere, the hot thick atmosphere that nobody inside seems to mtnd. But just a moment—there! The swing doors open and a figure lurches out on to the pavement. The scene inside fs visible for a few moments. Beneath the dim and smoky lamps, men and women—women with babies wrapt in shawls and children clinging to their draggled skirts—are packed against a counter four or five deep. There is a glitter of bottles behind them. Mugs of foaming beer are lifted on high and glasses are handed back to those in rear. The scene is charged with animation. There are shouts, laughter and snatches !of song, but there is a note of overpowering disorder, of human madness in that congested mass of men and women drinking—drinking life and soul to the reeling, swaying dark of stupor. That Is a picture of a Diverpool slum. A woodland dell banked with flowers winds into one of the daintiest of open spaces. The foliage seems to float through the trees in the sunlight. On all sides at odd intervals peering into the depths of this sylvan loveliness are houses, quaint early English houses, with picture.-uque gable and lattice, red tiles and panelled just as Shakespeare knew the charming old town of Strat-ford-on-Avon. But here we are in a modern village, built but a few years, taking all the best elements out of a picturesque past and applying them with the science of modern town plan’ning to the home beautiful. There are children in white and coloured pinnies romping under the trees and in the sunlight. Each house rises out of a bed of flowers. Nature and architecture go hand in hand, and everywhere is a vista of a glimpse of beauty. Twelve o’clock whistles from a factory somewhere beyond the glade and presently the tree lined road is full of men and women, youths and girls. They troop by to their homes smiting and talking. Everybody Is clean and bright faced. There is a vitality in each step that makes its own grace. They roam with the houses through parks and gardens and radiant thoroughfares. Their village Is a dream of woodland splendour where life and labour move amid beauty and contentment. That is a picture of Port Sunlight, one of England's model villages planned by Measrs Lavr Bros, on th*

opposite side of the Mersey a few miles from Liverpool and the blatant reality of its slums. The Port Sunlight estate, comprising some 200 acres, consists ef a series of well planned factories docks, railways, and workers’ dwellings, besides a large number of buildings devoted, to the religious, educational and. social well being of its inhabitants. It is laid out on the best principles of modern town planning. The housing conditions are almost ideal. Each building is well constructed, picturesque, well situated and let at a rent that averages about (five shillings a week. In every case there is a garden patch with trees in front of the house, and at the back are extensive allotment gardens. It is the realisation of the back-to-the-land cry in England. Water Is laid on and supplied free of charge. Tuition is given by a practical gardener, and for flowers and vegetables grown in the village prizes are awarded annually av the horticultural shows organised by the controlling firm. In the village itself there is a theatre, a. public library, technical and elementary schools, a lecture hall, a museum, boys’ and girls’ institutes, an employees' provident society, scientific, literary and mutual improvement societies, a telephone system, fire brigade, ambulance society, bowling and tennis greens, swimming baths, football grounds, rifle range, gymnasium, hospital and church. In all this there is to be seen nothing of the monotonous end depressing rows of brick and mortar, the hard distressing regularity of design that is so common to so many English and Colonial cities. Port Sunlight, in fact, sets a standard above the modern suburban area as well as providing healthy homes and refining influences in the environment of its four thousand workers. The enterprise is described by Mr. Lever himself as “pros-perity-sharing” — the best means he can find of sharing profits with hi work people. He has recently stated that the firm gets a return from the money invested in the better health and consequent increased industrial efficiency of the workers. Mr. Lever in short has given practical recognition of the relation of housing to industry. Tn order to realise- how far a private firm can, side by side with its commercial success, make enlightened provision for its workers, the institutions of Port Sunlight are well worth studying. The village is no Utopian project any more than the other model communities in England like Letch worth, Hampstead,

Ealing, Bourneville, Leicester and Hull are. It is a commercial project designed to secure and develop industrial efficiency. Port Sunlight proves that men and women working eight hours a day can turn out more and better work than those labouring ten or eleven hours in other concerns and living under poor housing conditions. Prominent among advantages enjoyed is that of the Employers’ Benefit Fund, which is provided entirely by the company. To every employee retiring after at least 20 years’ service at the age of 05, and 60 if a female, fs paid a yearly allowance. The basis is such that, if an employee is receiving 38s. per week, he will on retiring after 40 years’ service receive an allowance of £SO per year. Similar provisions are made for those retiring through ill-health or to the widow and children of a deceased worker. A Holiday Club is in operation by which a fund is automatically created” for workers when the time for relaxation arrives. Faithful service is acknowledged by the presentation of a gold watch together with a long service badge. The Pori Sunlight order of Conspicuous Merit is awarded in cases of personal bravery.

The male workers labour 48' hours and the female 45 hours per week. Free tram and train tickets are provided to those who come from a distance. Cash prizes are awarded in the soap- works itself for the best suggestions for labour saving devices and increased comfort of the workers.

These are a few of the more interesting and suggestive phases of life at Port Sunlight. The spirit of the workers is said to be very appreciative,, although there are times when a more restless spirit than the mass is apt to rebel against what has been termed “the benevolent autocracy” of the firm. Tire drawback to the scheme is that many of its advantages which the workers receive cannot be translated, into- terms

of pounds, shillings, and pence— at lean# not at present. That is what seems tq be in the future between labour and capital. The prosperity-sharing scheme as it works at present is no guarantee that the demand of labour, for a full share tn the wealth that it creates, ia being fulfilled. But compared with what exists for the nuriority of British workera to-day, Port Sunlight is a guarantee that a considerable share of its prosperity is going into the health, the happiness and surroundings of its workers. It is the half-way house to an absolute scheme of co-operation or co-partnership between the labourer aud the employer, which seems to be a debatable alternative to State control, but it has yet to develope and be given practical demonstration. Judging by the opposition of the trade unions, and labour generally to Sir Christopher Furness’ 1 scheme of copartnership, that realisation is a long way off.