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Tortworth, founded and assisted by the kindness and liberality of Earl Ducie, for the advantage and benefit of the agricultural labourers employed upon the estate. This works remarkably well in every way, and is much appreciated by the labourers. Some such system is most desirable for the agricultural labouring classes, especially for those who live a long way from a town. The small village shopkeepers cannot, by reason of the small limits of their business, sell the best articles; yet they must charge the highest prices. The large proportion of villagers who live too far from a town to allow of their going there to market every week, are deep in the books of the village shopkeepers who thus has them at his mercy. This pernicious plan of giving long credit, and of having no regular settlement in many cases for years, leads to extravagance, recklessness and improvidence. They have only to run to the shop to obtain just what they want, as no questions are asked, and no money demanded at the time; they trust to a good harvest, to a good hopping, or to a good fruit year, to clear off their most pressing liabilities and to pay their shopkeeper as much "on account" as will satisfy him.

In conclusion, co-operation seems to be not only the most easy, available and complete remedy for the troubles which are continually arising from the disputes between labour and capital, which cripple enterprise and cause infinite suffering; but also a very certain means of advancing the position, in every respect, of all classes of labourers, artisans, mechanics, operatives, and the agricultural working-classes. Co-operation will supersede trades' unions, or at all events will change their hostile, bitter, suicidal antagonism to capital, into rational and harmonious unison with that which is the very fons et origo of the existence of labour. Trades' unionism was probably necessary. The principle of united labour is sound. The practice of trades' unions, as at present constituted, is unsound. The majority of working-men themselves condemn the hastiness, rashness, illegality, and igno

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rant action of trades' unions in the last few years. The working classes have as much right to band together to obtain fair, just remuneration, as capitalists have to oppose unfair, unjust demands; but the labourers should, while thus uniting, respect law and justice, and have due regard to the immutable principles of political economy.

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APPENDIX.

A.-SUBDIVISION OF LAND.

It would appear that in Belgium, at the last collection of statistics, that there were 572,550 farms of various sizes; that out of these there were 247,551 farms of 14 acres, 165,933 of from 2 to 12 acres, and 42,737 of from 12 to 25 acres. There were 3,558,632 acres of land cultivated entirely by the proprietors and 2,948,958 acres are let to tenants. Although it has been stated lately that these proprietor-farmers are in a destitute and benighted condition, without education and civilisation of any kind, and that the system generally is a failure, it must be said that in those parts of the country where subdivision and peasant proprietorship prevail to the greatest extent, the cultivation of the soil is the most admirable and perfect; every farm looks like a garden, and if the farmers starve themselves they do not by any means starve their land.

B.-POST OFFICE BENEFIT SOCIETY.

A MEMORIAL was presented some time since to the Post-masterGeneral from the Kent Friendly Society, upon the subject of making the Post Office more available for the savings of agricultural labourers.

Lord Lichfield is most warmly interested in endeavouring to reform Benefit Societies generally, and especially with regard to provision for old age.

The Rev. J. Y. Stratton, the secretary of the Kent Friendly Society, has published a pamphlet upon the question of Benefit Societies, which contains much valuable matter, and many suggestions for the improvement of these institutions, especially with reference to the Post Office.

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