40 THE RURAL PROBLEM 



§ 3. A Government Housing Grant. 



The calculations of the needs of the average family, 

 above give n. prove that if 5s. a week be paid in rent, nothing 

 less than 25s. a week will provide even the necessaries of 

 life, and any diminution of that wage will also render void 

 the hope of bettering the housing of the labourer on economic 

 lines. To anyone with a knowledge of agricultural con- 

 ditions, an attempt immediately to raise wages all over 

 the country at once to 25s. must appear fantastic. Some 

 other method of solving the problem must therefore be 

 found, and the only other possibility that offers is that of a 

 Government Grant in aid of Cottage Building. 



There are very serious objections to the policy of subsi- 

 dising cottage building. Anything which tends to stereotype 

 the present low wage is bad ; and a Government Housing 

 Grant of a kind which would enable the labourers to continue 

 to accept their present wage would be a grant in aid of the 

 owners of land, or of capital, or of both. Again, if really 

 cheap cottages be provided at uneconomic rents, all other 

 cottage building will automatically cease, and the State 

 will find itself compelled to re-house Great Britain. Whereas, 

 if the grant be given under conditions which compel the 

 Local Authority to keep their rents as nearly economic as 

 possible, this will prevent the plan from being immediately 

 and widely effective. 



On the other hand, the following weighty points must be 

 borne in mind : 



(i) The improbability that a minimum wage really 

 sufficient to stimulate cottage building will come at once. 



(ii) The terrible consequences in health and waste of life 

 every year that the present overcrowding and bad housing, 

 and lack of housing continue. 



(iii) The experience of Ireland/ 1 and the transformation 



* The Irish Labourers Acts (1883-1 90G). Labourers" cottages in 

 Ireland are at present built under the Aet of 1906, as amended by the 

 Act of 1011. 



Under these Acts 35,409 cottages have been erected, and 5,057 are 

 now in process of erection, a total of 40,466 cottages in all, and the 

 total loans granted for this purpose to date amount to £7,860,939. 



Under the 1911 Act provision is made for the advance of a total sum 

 of £5,250,000 by Article 12, Land Commission, by way of loans to 



