CO-OPERATION IN HOUSING. T HERE is a world of feeling in
the old phrase, OXi,yoy cf.aoe Si—" a small thing, but mine own "—and to no material possession does this apply with such force as to the home. The sense of ownership of " home " has a splendid influence upon the character of poorer house- holders, and adds immensely to the family's happiness and self-respect. No great institutions have more right to boast of their successful endeavours to promote this sense, and the wider distribution of property and responsible ownership, than the English Building Societies. They have given to the thrifty poor such magnificent opportunities for the acquisition of house property that a mere record of their total dealings would silence outright any cavilling cry of " Monopoly" in this form of possession.
There is, therefore, no intention to detract from the honour due to them if some of the drawbacks to their wider extension be admitted,—drawbacks which need never be felt by many of their beneficiaries, but may affect some who have sought their help, or deter others who would seek it. It is not the fault of these societies that the old Socialistic notion that all land is national property, vested in the Crown as representing the nation, should still shackle the soil, and make the transfer of land more tedious than that of any other form of property. Nor can they be blamed because landowners and lawyers have not welcomed the one effort of legislation which has been made towards the simplification of land-transfer,—namely, the registra- tion of title. But the expenses and incomprehensible methods of conveyancing present a serious stumbling- block to the working man of small means and no law if he should wish to acquire the freehold of his home. Again, the societies tend to hamper the "fluidity " of labour, by which in turn their own scope is narrowed. The snail which seeks a fresh field for livelihood has an advantage over the workman who owns his house, for the latter must sell in haste, and before he is housed elsewhere is likely to lose heavily of the wealth his thrift has given him; and, besides this private loss, the public gain may be defeated if the house falls into the hands of a speculator in small house property. Furthermore, the Building Societies have, as a rule, found it necessary to protect themselves by severe laws of forfeiture, so that a temporary inability to keep up payments may cause the loss of previous instalments. This stringency is presumably un- avoidable, but must sometimes bring about real hardship, and at others deter the man who needs a little easier stimulus to thrift.
These and other lessons to be learned from the various societies have been carefully studied by the Co-partnership Tenants' Housing Council, which has during the last few years tried to lead the working man upon a similar road, cleared of such stumbling-blocks by methods based upon the experience of English and German institutions. Co-operation in housing is no new device. The early Co-operators of Rochdale intended to include housing among their enterprises, and several societies have invested large portions of their capital in their members' homes, as at Bostall and elsewhere. Other Co-operative Building Societies, notably the Tenant Co-operators, Limited, have done extensive good work. But the Co-partnership Tenants' Housing Council, an advisory and propagandist body, has induced and supervised the successful flotation of several tenants' companies upon new lines. Under their system money is raised by loan stock, issued to investors, and by shares subscribed for by members. The companies are registered under the Industrial and Provident Societies Act. A. whole "estate" is bought in order to avoid the purchase of separate plots at enhanced prices ; and as soon as a member holds a specified minimum of shares, usually £10 worth, the house he requires is begun. His holding in the company is his guarantee of good faith, and is also a sum that can be drawn upon by the company in any temporary failure to pay rent or instalments. His dividends are withheld until he holds shares to the value of his house, or an amount fixed by the rules as the minimum permanent holding for tenant-members. These dividends are applied to the paying off of debt, if necessary, or to the allocation of further shares. There is just this shade of local col- lectivism in such a scheme, inasmuch as each tenant does not legally own his own house, but a share, to that value, in the whole property. He would be a hardy individualist indeed who would object upon this score ; for it must be granted that to a poor man the advantage of owning such easily retainable or transferable property as scrip, instead of being obliged to face the anxiety of acquiring or conveying title-deeds, is enormous : for a single cottage, possibly in a distant county, is not a handy piece of property to retain ; indeed, it is far more likely to prove an encumbrance. Since the holdings of single members are restricted, they cannot be tempted to be false to the co- operative spirit by becoming landlords within the society. The companies are able to supervise the general planning of the whole area, and no dull uniformity is imposed, as the building of houses of different values is encouraged. Upon the urban or suburban properties which are flourishing most conspicuously at present the class of tenant that is most earnestly hoped for, as needing the benefits in the greatest degree, is the most slowly induced to come forward. The majority of the houses are worth £300 or more. This is not so much due to the system as to the means and character of those who would inhabit cheaper houses. The people of that type have, on the whole, less disposition towards thrift, and, of course, less power to practise it, than those who earn higher wages. Apart from the business side, the Council does its utmost to stimulate a neighbourly and sociable spirit among the Co-operators. The principal companies established so far have their estates at Ealing and the Garden City. Others are building at Hampstead (where the Hampstead Tenants, Limited, hold two hundred and forty acres of the land lately sold by Eton) and outside such large towns as Manchester, Wolverhampton, Leicester, Warrington, and Birmingham. There is also a small and successful company at Sevenoaks.
It will be noticed that the Council has not yet touched any really rural districts; and yet the necessities of housing are no less urgent in the country than they are in towns, and the objections to local authorities being driven to undertake housing out of the rates are probably even stronger than in towns. It is impossible now to enter into those objections, but we should heartily welcome any movement towards co-operation in housing among the rural labouring classes. Local agricultural credit societies have not made a wide enough advance to be able to do anything in this direction. It is a good sign, however, that the Agricultural Organisation Society is starting a new company, the Central Co-operative Agricultural Bank, to extend the action of co-operative credit. Although the greater part of the face of England is mortgaged by its owners, moneylending does not play a very im- portant part in rural industry. As a rule the British agriculturist "rura bobus exeroet suis
Solntus omni famore."
In Eastern Europe the Jews practically have the control of the agriculture at which they do not work. They are not treated with Christian decency, but, apart from business, are oppressed by Governments and "spat upon" by the very borrowers of their money. What wonder that they are vindictive usurers ? But in rural England a little credit and moneylending under well-regulated control might lead to valuable development and contribute to more sufficient housing, among other things. We have hoped to see the Co-partnership Council introducing some scheme of a central company or federation by which a few cottages, perhaps only a pair, could be built in villages upon their system. Details so small could not stand alone ; they oould not bear the strain of one cottage being tenantless for a few weeks. It would be necessary to federate them in a central body owning cottages on as large a scale as the Ealing or other Tenants' Companies. This question has lately been taken up by the Council, which is now supervising the formation of a new company, Co-partnership Tenants, Limited, which will be a parent to local societies, owning smaller properties. No doubt compactness in these properties will be a source of strength and economy, and it will prove easier to carry them on by tens of houses around country towns than by pairs in really rural neigh- bourhoods. The more need, then, to stimulate local, perhaps county, societies which will take in hand the scattered fragments in villages that are crying out for a little expansion. The country movement is still in its infancy, but, if wisely supported and controlled, may go far in helping to keep in the country, and to increase, that healthy rural population upon which England so vitally depends.
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