FARMING BY COLLECTIVE EFFORT 159 



Rural District Councils, composed for the most 

 part of reactionary farmers. And this has 

 been the housing authority for rural districts. 



Although it was resolved two years ago to 

 build six cottages in my own parish, not a single 

 brick has yet been laid. Why six was the 

 figure decided upon I cannot tell, for I am sure 

 that if an inquiry were made amongst those 

 who live in overcrowded cottages, and of the 

 engaged young people waiting to get married, 

 probably we should find not six, but thirty or 

 forty, cottages were required. What is wanted 

 to-day is a new inquiry held all over the country 

 and the publication of up-to-date reports of 

 Medical Officers of Health ; though I very 

 much doubt if respectable libraries like Mudie's 

 would handle these reports, so staggering to 

 the sensitive mind would be the revelations of 

 Zolaesque obscenities due to overcrowding. 



I see no reason why the Rural District 

 Council should not cease altogether to be the 

 housing authority, and the County Agricultural 

 Committee be made responsible for the building 

 of cottages, for under the Land Settlement Act 

 they now have power to build a cottage on half 

 an acre of land. 



County Agricultural Committees would have 

 enormous economic advantages over Rural 

 District Councils, both in being able to acquire 

 large estates and to use the raw material con- 

 tained therein. They would have the chalk, 



