CORRESPONDENCE.

CO-OPERATION IN ARCADIA.

[To THR EDITOR OP TUB " SPECTATOR:1 SIR,—No one with an eye to see or heart to feel can be indifferent about the pressing problem of the housing of the poor, but those who try to view the subject from all sides come in time to see that you have not settled the whole question when you have shot or hung a landlord here and there, that if some landlords are rapacious, some tenants are dishonest and destructive, and that one of the items in the sad Bum total is the increased and yet increasing cost of building owing to the peculiar methods of some working men. But while some people have satisfied, themselves with words and tears, others have been acting, and it is the purpose of this letter to give a short account of one small effort that is being .made in the neighbourhood of London on the Co-operative principle.

The portion of Arcadia chosen for the experiment is Ealing. It may be that to some that name may be suggestive of the street , rather than of the field and "happy Pan," but that can only be because they do not know their Ealing. well. It must suffice for a mere Cockney to say that in a recent visit to the scene of the experiment he for the first time for many weeks felt himself to be in real fields and smelt the smell of real hay. The Company or Society is called the "Ealing Tenants, Limited," and is registered under the Industrial and Provident

Societies Acts. Its stated object is "to enable its members to acquire the ownership of their houses by Co-operative methods, and to secure the erection of suitable houses for its members in desirable parts of the district." As to the share capital, it is raised in shares of £10 each, payable, as to the first share, 45 on allotment, and the remainder by instalments provided for in the registered rules of the Society. Share capital receives 5 per cent. interest, and as to the first £1,003 fully paid up, a share of the profits. The Society has taken power to raise loans and deposits under conditions provided for in the rules. The point is that certain working men combine to buy some land, to build on it suitable and wholesome houses themselves, and to live in them. Everybody knows that it is well for a working man to live in his own house, but the difficulty is that work may move, and the man

may be obliged to follow it ; a forced sale is sure to be a poor sale, but in the case here being considered the responsibility for

the house does not fall upon the late occupant alone, but upon him in common with his fellow-shareholders and fellow- tenants. The system has been in operation in other parts near Loudon since 1885, and has been found to answer. The rent of each house now built is £32 a year. For this sum a man gets a well-built, healthy house and garden, with every convenience that a reasonable man can want. The surplus profits (after providing for expenses, reptirs, depreciation, 8:c.) are divided among the tenant members, in proportion to the rent they pay. Nine houses are already finished—their rent has been

mentioned—but much will yet be done. This particular Society has not been in working order for much more than a year, but already several houses are inhabited, children are rolling in the garden

grass, and in another part peas, beans, and potatoes are making a brave show, to say nothing of the flowers. It should be added that each tenant-member's share of profits is credited to him in shares instead of being paid in cash. It has been said that nine houses are already finished; there is room for forty-five to follow. Since

the tenant-member will receive a share of surplus profits, it seems

reasonable to suppose that he will be careful of the property and lessen the outlay on repairs ; and as each tenant must take shares —five of £10 each—these shares can be dealt with should there be

arrears of rent. A tenant-member may remain a tenant-member only, however large his holding, and if he leaves the neighbour- hood he can sell his shares, or can continue to hold them and receive his interest. Each shareholder has one vote only, whatever the number of his shares.

This may all seem very ordinary and dull on paper, but the scheme is a pleasant sight to see in situ. Co-operation is a good

cement. On a recent summer afternoon there met at Ealing in the fields a small body of people, of all classes, interested in Co- operation in general, and this scheme in particular. By a happy accident there met and chatted two daughters of Co-operators

who lived in the old days when to preach and practise Co-operation meant heat and burthen which few, could bear to-day. There

also was an expert in such matters from America, who said—and meant his words—that such an idle friendly gathering would be impossible in his country ; and there also was a man well known in all good works, and interested especially in "garden cities." There also were the working men, builders, carpenters, and plumbers, who were doing the work, and meant to test the work by living in the houses; and there, too, was the mainspring of the small machine, the vigorous, keen, clear-headed man who talks well because he knows his subject matter. But talk

is not the chief item in the programme. First go through the houses, then enjoy a cup of tea upon the grass, and last of all a little talk, when some semi-malcontents, who air imaginary grievances about "piece-work," will have the facts explained by the shrewd fighting man, the mainspring. Any one can see that houses with a rent of £30 will not act directly on the "slums," but it is a great mistake to concentrate all attention and all effort on that one Lind of neighbourhood. This has for a long time been a fashion, but its excellence is not proved by that. There may be moments (though even this is not quite certain) when philanthropy in high places may be confined to the wretched of both sexes, but it may be questioned if the clergy are quite wise in devoting all their time and care to the most degraded in the parish at the expense (i.e., to the neglect) of decent, ivor'sing creatures who sometimes wash, and always try to pay their way. If there is truth in this idea, it may be no bad thing to take an interest in efforts and experiments even though thEy may . o deal directly with those who are vaguely but nautically named "the Submerged Tenth."

The "Ealing Tenants" are in no need of patronage or money, but they will be glad of friends ; and if the exLcri-

ence of one person is as ordinary as he himself is, any one who is puzzled by the "housing problem" and feels an interest in Co-operation, will be glad to have spent an afternoon in that especial district of Arcadia.—I am, Sir, &c., J. F. C.