BUILDING SCHEME 361 



two pigsties. The contract price averaged 286 

 (excluding hauling, which is a very considerable 

 item). All repairs, with the exception of the 

 external painting, are done by the small holder ; 

 the 4 per cent, charged to the small holder as 

 interest on the capital expended covers the painting 

 and the insurance. This is arranged so as to 

 insure the security of the County Council being 

 maintained. 



So much for the official account of the building 

 scheme. The Worcestershire County Council 

 appear to have realized the fact that by enabling 

 the men to put up buildings on the land they have 

 enhanced the value of the land itself; and, more- 

 over, enabled the men to work their holdings in 

 the more profitable way which is possible when the 

 men live close to their work. 



If there is any criticism to offer, one feels 

 inclined to suggest that the houses and buildings 

 are in many cases unnecessarily expensive for the 

 class of man who has in the end to pay for them. 

 How much this is due to the personal ambition of 

 the small holder, and how much to the exigencies 

 of by-laws, I have not ascertained. But it struck 

 me that, in cases where the men are starting in 

 life, and are endeavouring to acquire their holdings 

 at the same time as they are earning their living, 

 the houses, which are all of the villa rather than 

 the cottage type, must add an unnecessarily large 

 item to the yearly outgoings ; and that on account 

 of this only those who are doing really well could 



