Science in Public Affairs 



on capital. Now it is to the interest of the tenant 

 members, who receive the surplus profits, to make 

 those profits as large as possible, e.g., by taking 

 care of the property, and thus lessening the ex- 

 penditure on repairs ; by helping to find tenants for 

 empty houses ; by the punctual payment of rent. 



(b) The Share Capital of the tenant members 

 affords a fund upon which the Societies can, if 

 necessary, draw in order to pay any arrears of 

 rent. Loss by arrears of rent is therefore practi- 

 cally impossible. 



" The work of this Society should," writes Mr. 

 John S. Nettlefold, the Chairman of the Housing 

 Committee of the Birmingham City Council, 

 "prove of very great value. They get over one 

 of the great deterrents to a working man owning 

 his own houses, by allowing him, if he has to 

 leave the neighbourhood, to get rid of his re- 

 sponsibilities in the form of shares, or he can, 

 if he likes, retain his shares and receive his in- 

 terest on them. This obviates the difficulty of 

 being saddled with a house to let with repairs, 

 &c., to pay for, or the possible worse contingency 

 of being forced to sell in a hurry at a big sacrifice." 



At the foot of the two hills on which the seven 

 hundred cottages will be placed, it is planned to 

 create a paddling pond, in which the sunset colours 

 will be reflected, and where boys with toy boats 

 and barking dogs can forget all but the gladness 

 of life. Near by will be the Bakehouse, so neces- 

 sary in an industrial neighbourhood, where money 

 and labour both need saving. There will be also 



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