190/.] 



Report on Rural Housing. 



695 



endowed with qualities that make for success in other callings 

 in life, the labourer recognises that the land holds out but little 

 hope or reward to him, and sees nothing before him but to live 

 and die a labourer. 



Apart from the fact that an ill-repaired cottage is a contribu- 

 tory cause of the migration to the towns by the young and more 

 intelligent element in the rural population, the Committee have 

 had ample evidence to show that migration is also largely due 

 to the monotonous existence and lack of prospect held out to 

 the younger generation under the present system. The contrast 

 between life in the country and in the town is so manifest that 

 it is not to be wondered at that large numbers every year migrate 

 to the latter. It is aggravating the condition of the towns as 

 regards overcrowding and unemployment, and it is paralysing 

 the prosperity of the country districts by depriving them of the 

 necessary population. Large sums of public money are being 

 spent to alleviate the evils of overcrowding and a congested 

 labour market in the towns, whilst the country districts are 

 spending an ever-increasing amount in rates to turn out a more 

 educated population, the best of whom migrate in large numbers 

 to the towns and deprive the country ratepayer of the results of 

 his local expenditure. This migration can bsst be checked by 

 giving greater facilities for the renting or purchase of suffi:ient 

 land to afford a profitable career to those who remain in the 

 country. What can be done is shown by the results obtained in 

 those districts where facilities, though only to a partial extent, 

 have bsen given for obtaining land for small holdings. Frequent 

 instances are to be found of men gradually improving their con- 

 dition in life by profitable working of small pieces of land. Such 

 examples are an incentive to others in the district to remain at 

 home and start on the same career, 



Tne Committee consider, therefore, that legislation should be 

 -directed to secure land under the most advantageous circum- 

 stances (i) for allotments for the labourer in regular employment, 

 (2) for small holdings for the independent labourer in irregular 

 employment, and (3) for holdings for the small farmer. 



With regard to allotments, the Committee observe that these 

 are now fa'rly universal^ bul_m_imn)^v.n^^^ they are often 

 inconveniently situated at a distance from the labourer's home. 



