New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-02-22
KING RAISES. PAY
ON ROYAL FARMS
LabOrers on Norfolk Estates Have
Several Advantages Not En-
joyed Elsewhere.
rrrom he Trlbune Correspondent

London. Feb. 1f-By his kindness and
generosity King George has lately espe-
ciallv cndeared himself 20 the laoorers
on his ruyal farms in Norfolk. and al
the same time has shown business sagac-
tv in realizing that, By assuring the
workers a living wage and fair conditions
Of life. a greater percentage OF efhclehcy
can be procured. For long time treat
ment of the laborers on the royal Farms
has been in advance OF that whlch their
fellows receive elsewhere I'm the county
but King George has gone further ana
since the beginning OF this year the men
have had the advantages OF.
minimum wage OF - a week, hait
holiday on Saturday. continuity or en-
nlovn1ent and security Of tenure in their
cottages Not only has the King secured
these changes for his own workers, put
he has taken steps 70 secure IL Tor tle
men employed by tenants on his NorlolH
estates. The bare recital OF wages paid'
hovever. does not include all the advan-
tages the Norfolk laborers have.
While the minimum wage is 81 a week.
only a few Of the youngest and ieast
skilled mon receive this. Wages come up
az high as s. 50 for the horse and catue
men. In addition. $40 is paid during the
harvest month. No deductions are made
for wet DAYS. and when the time comes
thar q man is past work he receives a
snug little pension as long as he ives
As far as the villagers are concerheu'
conditions are very satisfactory Esch
little community has first rate water
supply The schools Quilt by King Ed
ward) are models Of what village schoois
should be. There is not single puoHc
house on the whole estate. Instead III
every centre. there is village club where
the laborers have their papers, their
library. their games and wholesome beer
The membership costs but TWO cents a
week. and the system works admirably
Feeling that he could not divest hiio-
self of the responsibility for the condition
Of the men on those portions of his estate
which are let 10 tenant farmers, the King
called a meeting Of these tenants a snort
time ago and asked them TO give the men
an increase of wages and also Saturday
half holiday. While it was not definitely
announced, Ii is understood that the ten
ants will be aided in this movement by
reimbursement Of the rents which they pay
TO the King.
The increase in wages is quite appre-
clated for formerly the average was be-
tween SO % and g 50. The estates and
tenants both seem very prosperous. When
the tenants on the Sandringham estates
came TO the meeting 10 hear the Kings
wishes concerning the conditions and
hours OF labor on the farms, most of them
came IN their own automobiles. The KING
noticed this. Does such condition." he
asked. indicate that farming is in sucn
a poor way that it cannot afford TO pay
its workers a living wage?'
The royal farms are models OF what
can be done by practical application of
scienced agriculture, combined with skill,
energy and business ability. The King
himself has seen that whenever farm Is
TO let twenty or more people are imme-
diately after H. The prevailing note Of
the villages is comfort and wellbeing
Everybody is well dressed and the houses
are pretty little villas, each with half an
acre or so Of garden ground. and rented
for the surprisingly small sum Of % 70
30 cents a week. There is an indeiinaJle
feeling Of freedom and independence
among the farmers, which differs enor-
mously from the tone OF most great
estates. however they are managed.