104 THE MINORITY REPORT 



to agricultural employment in England and Wales it will be 

 necessary to offer him more opportmiities for recreation and 

 self-improvement than have been provided in the past, and 

 more prospect of advancement in life. A good garden should 

 be attached to every cottage, and the labourer, if he desires 

 to cultivate more land, should have an opportvmity of rent- 

 ing an allotment. Country children should always be within 

 reach of a good school, where, in addition to receiving in- 

 struction in the ordinary school subjects, they will be taught 

 the use of their hands and eyes, and trained to take £ui interest 

 in, and to appreciate, the garden, the farm, and the natural 

 objects of the country-side. A brighter village life is also 

 highly desirable. All villages of any size ought to have a 

 club room, public library, recreation grounds, and the like 

 to break the monotony of country life. In many places 

 these have been already provided by the liberality of land- 

 owners and philanthropic individuals, and we hope that this 

 practice will be followed by all those who are interested in 

 the maintenance and improvement of our rural population. 

 The buildings and lands so provided might well be vested 

 in the Parish Council, and maintained by them partly or 

 wholly out of the parish rates. Where, owing to the poverty 

 of the neighbourhood or other circumstances, such desirable 

 attractions cannot be provided without recoiu'se to outside 

 help, application might be made to such bodies as the Carnegie 

 Trustees to assist in providing them. 



*' 160. One great drawback to the life of an agricultural 

 labourer is that, no matter how persevering and industrious 

 he may be, he has little prospect of obtaining a position of 

 independence. The opportunity of obtaining allotments and 

 small holdings is a great assistance to agricultural labourers, 

 and an improved organisation of co-operation and agricul- 

 tural credit will enable them to take more advantage of the 

 opportunities which exist. The scheme of ' Colonies ' of 

 small holders, if developed as we suggested in Part I of our 

 Report, will, we believe, act as an encouragement to the 

 agricultural labourer to aspire to a position of more inde- 

 pendence. It will, no doubt, be capable of considerable 

 expansion, and will become the agricultural ' ladder ' by 

 which the industrious and enterprising labourer can obtain 

 a small holding as the best means of exercising his industry 

 and intelligence. 



"161. If the improvements which we have outlined above 

 with regard to the housing and general conditions of agri- 



