130 THE RURAL PROBLEM 



always going left houses vacant. I asked if any decent labourer's 

 cottage was to be had. He thought not ; none was wanted. 

 Had any house ever been built ? Not in the 20 years he had been 

 there. Did he consider houses sanitary and properly repaired ? 

 He should say no worse than other villages ; come to that, all old 

 houses were insanitary ; some repairs had been done of late. 



Saw Clerk of Union Offices, who wished his name not to appear. 

 Considered houses disgraceful ; poverty and unemployment bad ; 

 people tied so much by dependence on landlord, ventured to ask 

 for nothing. Land impossible to get ; farms so large, small hold- 

 ings could easily be divided off. Considered if we secured inspec- 

 tion many houses would be condemned, but none would be built ; 

 cause more hardship to people. Till land is opened, not much 

 use for houses. Village undoubtedly dying out ; tanning and 

 other trades have left it. Sympathetic to our efforts, but pessi- 

 mistic under present Acts. Impossible to ask signatures in village, 

 where all dread eviction and dependent on one landlord; but could 

 get same, if advisable, in neighbouring parishes in same district. 



