362 WORCESTER COUNTY COUNCIL 



afford to derive that advantage which accrues from 

 actually living on the holding itself. 



General Considerations. 



This experiment of the Worcestershire County 

 Council is of particular interest, inasmuch as it has 

 been the means of restoring a poverty-stricken 

 district to one of comparative well-being. It has 

 not only not cost the ratepayers a penny, but has 

 been the means of removing a large number of 

 people off the rates. The factors which seem to 

 have contributed to the success are : 



1. The neighbourhood of Birmingham as a 

 market. 



2. The previous knowledge of the nailers of the 

 cultivation of ordinary crops, fostered by the earlier 

 acquiring of allotments. 



3. The fact that strawberry cultivation had been 

 introduced with success many years ago in a neigh- 

 bouring village, and the local people were thus 

 made aware by example of the possible remunera- 

 tion. 



4. The fact of the nailers being a hard-working, 

 thrifty set of people to begin with, who had fallen 

 into poverty through no fault of their own. 



5. The presence of enlightened men on the 

 Worcestershire County Council. 



In connection with the last item, I should like 

 to call attention to the fact that in 1894, after 

 2,000 public notices had been circulated by the 

 Council as to the provisions of the Act, only one 



