Page:Agricultural labour.djvu/14

 road-making: what struck me about that man was his extreme intolerance for a bad or idle workman, and his great patience for a really good one. He wouldn't have a bad workman at any price, because he cost so much in supervision.

District X.—An average low wage agricultural district with an absentee landlord, and great want of prospect and outlet for the labourers, as is not uncommon. But here was a parcel of first rate workmen who had saved considerable sums of money, whose legitimate aspirations no mere rise of wages would have met, but who asked temperately and patiently for some means of improving their condition, some interest direct or indirect in the soil. At one time it seemed as if emigration was the only way open to them, but these are not the sort of men that England can afford to lose. Under the guidance of the West of England Association migration to the North was promoted, and sent up wages two or three shillings a week. Then landlords were appealed to in a quiet friendly spirit to let allotments and cow land, and even under some favourable conditions a co-operative farm to the labourers. The consequence has been that gradually and without any serious ill-feeling a comfortable and satisfactory relation between employers and employed has been established; the men have not taken advantage of the farmers at the harvest, and the wages have been satisfactorily settled without any pressure. Several landlords are considering how to give the labourers some more interest in the soil, by way of gardens and grass land, and some have already done so; besides expressing their willingness to help with a co-operative farm, and next year one if not two such farms are about to be started. The labourers are content and feel now that there is a chance of rising before them, and a very general or satisfactory change has come over the district without any loss or ill-feeling.