98 MAULDEN 



corned, if the grading of produce could be 

 satisfactorily undertaken. This is the chief 

 difficulty, and, if it was successfully surmounted 

 so as to satisfy each holder that his consign- 

 ment was not being bulked with inferior, 

 members of the community would readily 

 agree to deal with such an organization. 



The effect on labour in the district has been 

 remarkable. Before the creation of this colony 

 the standard rate of wage of the agricultural 

 labourer was fourteen shillings. Small-holders 

 now have to pay eighteen shillings, and good 

 labour is very scarce. The original occupier 

 of the farm employed eighteen men. Each 

 holder of over thirty acres has a permanent 

 staff of three besides himself. There are eight 

 holdings of thirty acres or more, two of eleven, 

 six of four, and two of one. It is probable 

 that over forty-five persons are now per- 

 manently occupied in cultivating the land — or 

 two and a half times as many as were engaged 

 upon it under the old conditions. 



