ALLOTMENTS TO LABOURERS. (Hansard, 11 April 1843)

Mr. Cowper
rose to move for a select committee to inquire into the propriety of setting apart a portion of all waste lands which shall be inclosed by act of Parliament, to be let out in small allotments to the labouring poor of the district, and also into the best mode of effecting the same. There had been considerable experience as to the effects of the allotment system, and it was shown to be highly beneficial. The cultivation by spade husbandry increased to an extraordinary extent the produce of the land. It had been shown that land of scarcely any value had by this means been brought into profitable cultivation, and that land somewhat fertile had increased in value seven fold. The scheme which he wished to see adopted, was that of setting apart a very small part for each man, to be cultivated in his leisure hours, but not to interfere with his usual daily employment. This would add materially to the comforts of the poor man, without making him independent altogether of work. It struck him, when vast quantities of land were about to be enclosed, that a proper opening was afforded for the introduction of this system; and while parts were apportioned according to the rights of each, the public interest should not be lost sight of when the residue came to be dealt with. It had been found that this system was a sure method of keeping down the rates; and in a district near Bath a reduction had been thereby effected from 700l. to 200l. The general comforts and well-being of the working man formed a subject well worthy of the attention of the House. They should do their best to make him contented and happy. It was very important that these allotments should be judiciously made; for if this precaution was not taken, the poor man 857 might be induced to embark too much of his capital, and though favourable seasons might yield a return, yet he soon found himself overtaken by want. He was sure, that under proper regulations, they would prevent the labourer from having recourse to the ordinary excitements of dissipation, and that a change of character must be effected by teaching him to rely on his own exertions for the improvement of his condition. In West Kent, 3,000 allotments had been made, and in 1841 and 1842 none of those holding them committed offences against the laws, though many of them previously lived by poaching, and in other disreputable ways. The eagerness with which the labouring people caught at a favourite day-dream of the Chartists, that every man should have a bit of land of his own, showed how great a desire existed to become proprietors of land. He desired to see this scheme reduced within legitimate bounds, and every labourer renting a small allotment. He was not desirous to wait for the Enclosure Act about to be introduced, because he understood it included no provision for allotments. He hoped the House would think an effort to change the character of many labourers from being idle and vicious, to being industrious and well conducted, worthy of being made.

§ Sir J. Graham
agreed, that such allotments would be conducive to the comfort of the labourer if kept within very narrow limits. The land allotted must not be considered by the labourer as a provision for his family. The plan had been tried already by kind and considerate landlords with the best effects. He thought the present a more safe course than that proposed the other night by the hon. Member for Knaresborough. He should gladly assent to the committee, if fairly selected, for he should be sorry to interfere with so benevolent an object.

§ Mr. Hume
There was nothing at this moment to prevent landlords letting out allotments. He considered this motion would only tend to raise delusive hopes, and take the minds of the people off the real object—a free-trade in corn. Why adopt a doubtful expedient when a remedy was before them whose efficacy nobody questioned? He had no objection that the hon. Gentleman should amuse himself with collecting evidence on this question, but he should rather see him assist- 858 ing to repeal the Corn-laws. The way to relieve the working man was to remove the taxes which he bore; they now paid 70 per cent. of the whole amount. Let the landed proprietors bear 20 or 30 per cent. of the national burdens, as they did in other countries.

Colonel Wood
It was no reason, because it might be determined to open our ports hereafter to the corn of other countries, that the poor man should be prevented from raising some for himself. As in former enclosure acts certain quantities of the enclosed lands were set apart for the use of the parish in which they were situate, and these were let by the overseers of the poor to one farmer, the rent being applied to reduce the poor-rates, he thought the committee should have power to inquire whether these lands might not be more usefully allotted in small parcels to labourers, and he should, therefore, suggest the addition after the words "act of Parliament" of the following words, "or of any lands which under any enclosure acts, shall have been appropriated to the benefit of the poor."