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The New C.M. Chapel at Goodwlsk.…

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- - Remarkable Discoveries…

North Pembrokeshire Farmers'…

Fishguard Bread for the Troops.

THE YOUNG GIRL PREACHER.

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Better Cottages Wanted for…

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Better Cottages Wanted for the Working Man. A writer in this week's "Chamber of Agricul- ture Journal" offers the following suggestion on the solution of the depopulation problem :— There is a great deal of talk at the present time about getting the population back on the land and as to the best meaus of doing so. Amongst many devices advocated by politicians of different shades of opinion is the small hold- ings craze, and as many of these gentlemen are not practically acquainted with or have any pecuniary interest in the subject, perhaps the views of a tenant farmer may be of some interest There has no doubt frr the last twenty years been a great influx of the rural population into the town, and no doubt many of tbem would be very glad to get back again if there was any- where for them to live or a chance of employ- ment, but we do not want them. What the agricultural interest; requires now is not to I induce these men from the towns back to the Jand, but to retain those who are already on it and their descendents. It must be borne in mind that when agriculture depression set in a quarter of a century ago, and wheat went down to a price that made it not worth while cultiv- ating, a vast acreage of land went out of cult- ivation, and either, as the saying goes, tumbled down to grass of its own accord, or in other cases was laid down propurly to permanent pasture, and consequently fewer labourers since that time have been required, with the result that many had to seek work elsewhere and drifted into the towns. But none of this land has been broken up again, nor is it very likely to be with cereals at the price they are, and rich stoekbreeding and dairying in a fairly flourishing condition. So long as we tenant farmers can retain in our employment the farm hands we now have, who now understand their work, and their children to follow on to take their places when the time comfs, we are not likely to find employment for any unskilled town loafer that may be dumped down upon us. No let us endeavour to keep the families that are already on the land, and that object will not be accomplished by cutting up the large farms into small holdings, and driving the men of capital elsewhere. If these philanthropists who so strongly advocate small holdings as an attraction and inducement to eome back or to remain on the land, and those landowners who are magnanimous enough to take land off the large farmers and let it out in small hold- ings at an increased rental of about 300 per cent., would point out how these men without capital and without much knowledge are to get a living, or even balf a living, wage out of it, we should be interested to hear WHAT IS THE REMEDY ? The remedy lies in another direction, and it will be far better for those landowners who are ill-advised enough to contemplate cutting up their estates to increase and improve their cottage property instead. It only too often happens that when a young country labourer wants to get married and set up housekeeping for himself, in nine cases out of ten there is no cottage available, and he has to seek one in the nearest town, where cottages are always to be had. If every country labourer could ensure having a well-fited-up, comfortable cottage, with a good garden and orchard, he would not hanker much after town life, but it is so seldom that such cottages are to be found. It must be admitted that his life is not an exciting one, and that he only too often finds recreation in the public-house, but in some villages and on some estates where a landowner really has the interests of bis tenant at heart, reading rooms have been built, and entertain- ments are often got up for their amusement. It is a most rare thing to see a vacant cottage in any country village, and it does behove landowners to do all in their power to improve their cottage property erect more, if necess- ary .and try to make life a little more attractive. It will be a far greater blessing and benefit to the agricultural interest all round than cutting up their land into small holdings, which will only end disaster to those who are foolish enough to take tbem. To get any sort of a living and to pay the rents that will be im- posed on them, these small holders will have to work elsewhere than on their holdings, and will find it much harder life than working for a farmer. The ordinary farm hand today is better off by far than small farmers err skilled workmen in towns. With wages that average about Yi per week, and given a good cottage with plenty of room for his family and a good garden and orchard, where he can grow plenty of fruit and vegetables, together with milk often supplied free, with no rent, rates, or taxes to pay, and no worry or anxiety, his will be a more er viable position than that of the man slaving to get a living off about six acres of land at a rental of about £ 4 per acre, and using, probably, what little he may have saved after years of bard work. What is required is better cottages, and more of them, with gond gardens and orchards, and village life made more attractive, with, if possible, some means of granting a few shillings a week to deserving old people when they get past work. That, at any rate, will be a better remedy for retaining those who are present on the land.

TREVINE.

—Cardiganshire Cancer-Treatment.

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Pars on Passing Events.

TEACHING OF WELSH.

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