Sept. 1894.] 



PARLIAMENTARY PUBLICATIONH. 



97 



above 261., or at the rate of lO^. a week. The earnings of 

 servants who are boarded (and they form a large per-centage of 

 the total number employed) are estimated to be about 28 ^. 125. 

 a year, including 15^. 12s. a year for board and lodging and 13^. 

 money wages. It seems that the evidence to be derived from 

 statistics of former periods would appear to show that wages 

 have risen, but the amount of increase cannot be determined. 



With reference to cottage accommodation, Mr. Little reports 

 that in villages which are owned chiefly or entirely by one land- 

 lord, or where cottages form part of the equipment of a landed 

 estate, the cottages are almost invariably superior in character to 

 those in open villages and to those held apart from land, and to 

 those of owners depending to some extent upon cottage rents for 

 their living. In England, generally, a higher style of accom- 

 modation is, it seems, required to qualify cottages for com- 

 mendation than is the case in Scotland, while Wales ranks below 

 the latter country in this respect. In Ireland a still lower 

 average condition is said to prevail. There is evidence, however, 

 that there has been some progress in public opinion in Great 

 Britain as to what are the necessary requirements and the 

 minimum of accommodation which ought to be given, and a 

 comparison of plans and descriptions of houses which were 

 deemed superior 40, 30, or 20 years ago will, it is maintained, 

 show that a considerable advance has been made in this direction. 

 In England and Scotland the improvements which have taken 

 place are stated to be due, in a great measure, to the example 

 which has been set by a number of landowners. In Ireland 

 such improvement as there has been is exhibited in the cottages 

 erected under the Labourers Act, 1883 ; these are let at rents 

 varying from Sd. to Is. 6d. a week, only about 12 per cent, 

 being let at more than Is. a week. 



Rents of cottages in England are stated to range from 9d. to 

 7s. a week, the most usual sum charged being Is. 6d. a week. 

 In Wales the rents range from Qd. a week to 71. or 8^. a year. 

 Throughout Scotland farm cottages, which comprise a very large 

 proportion of those occupied by farm labourers, are let with the 

 farms and lield by the occupants rent free. 



Summarising the evidence in respect of cottage accommodation, 

 Mr. Little states that the supply of cottages is not now generally 

 deficient, but their distribution is irregular, and their situation 

 often very inconvenient for the inhabitants. The accom- 

 modation provided in respect of the number, size, and comfort 

 of the rooms, the sanitary condition and the water supply, is, he 

 considers, lamentably deficient and deserves the gravest con- 

 sideration with a view to remedial action. 



As regards allotments it appears that there is little evidence 

 of an unsatisfied demand in England ; labourers complain that 

 allotments are let at a much higher rate than the rent paid by 

 farmers, and it is observed in the report that in many cases the 

 rents of allotments are apparently very high. Allotments are 



O 88068. G 



