PLEA OF WINCHESTER WORKERS 277 



Allotment Society, Limited, and the Woking and 

 Maybury (Surrey) Allotments Society, Limited, both 

 affiliated (as is also the case with the Aylestone 

 Co-operative Allotments Society, Limited) with the 

 Agricultural Organization Society. 



I may also mention that in January, 1906, a body of 

 working men, holding land at Winchester (Hants) from 

 the Ecclesiastical Commissioners as allotment gardens, 

 sent a memorial to that body (by whom most of the 

 land suitable for allotments within a reasonable radius 

 of the city is owned), pointing to the present uncer- 

 tainty of their tenure, stating that on October 4, 1905, 

 they had held a meeting at which they formed them- 

 selves into an Allotment Holders' Association, and 

 proceeding : 



1. It is well known that the working man of the present date finds 

 it very hard to pay his way on account of high house-rent and pro- 

 visions, compared with his low wages, and especially owing to the 

 distress throughout the country, through so many of the working 

 class being out of employment ; and, were it not for the fact that 

 many of these have the advantage of an allotment garden to provide 

 vegetables for their families, matters would be far worse than they 

 are at the present time. 



2. By having a piece of land many of the working class have not 

 only been able to provide themselves with vegetables, but have 

 been the means of growing sufficient to supply some of their un- 

 fortunate community with the necessaries of life, and found them 

 employment on their allotments, remunerating them as far as lay 

 in their power, which has been the means of many a man being 

 engaged at a healthful occupation who would probably have been 

 loafing the streets ; and it is seriously felt that, should the working 

 class be deprived of their allotment ground, many of those who 

 now spend all their spare time on their gardens would not be 

 otherwise engaged. 



3. Gardening has been admitted by professional medical men to 

 be one of the best and healthiest recreations, and no doubt the 

 general good health among the working class of this city has been 

 considerably due to many of the men and members of their families 

 being engaged at it. 



4. The land now let as allotment gardens at Fulflood, St. Cross, 

 HighclifTe, and Winwall has notice-boards upon it, stating it can be 

 let on lease for building purposes ; but, if what we hear is correct, 



