SUCCESSFUL SOCIAL EXPERIMENT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10002, 24 March 1910, Page 4

SUCCESSFUL SOCIAL EXPERIMENT.

In the course of an interesting article on the Hadleigh Land and Industrial Colony, belonging to the Salvation Array, published in a recent the "War Cry," it 9tated that the Colony has not only achieved unparalleled success since its inception, in the great work of making men out of the raw materials of the streets, but as a philanthropic institution it has also served as-a moael to municipalities and Governments throughout the world. "Nowhere are the principles of a prudence and economy raoie rigidly applied than in the farm colony," says the article, which continues: "When in modern history has such an achievement been witnessed as this, that during the past twelve months, with labour taken originally frpm the streets, a turnover of £29,000 has been produced from the land? Yet such is the outstanding figure of the farm colony's finance, notwithstanding the fact that the past year has been bad, and in many cases a disastrous one to farmers, graziers, and fruitgrowers." The farm colony orchards in 1909 produced 3,558 bushels of apples', 2,840 bushels of plums, 50 tons of gooseberries, and £4OO worth of strawberries and raspberries. It is interesting to note that the colony u produces no fewer than 28 distinct varieties of apples •ll of plums, and 30 of vegetables. The poultry farm has also had a record year, and won many priz°s in

competition with the pick of the poul

try yards in the world. Altogether 70 ; tons of onions were raised by the colonists last year. The colonists came from the "underworld of London," and they leave the colony robust and capable, some to make for themselves homes and careers in the colonies, others to return to the ranks of the workers in our own land. The number of colonists actually in residence during 1909 was a distinct advance on racent years. Large parties of colonists, rescue:! within the last few weeks from the Thames Embankment and the streets of London, are now busily engaged in making new and permanent roads which will be a great boon to the colony, assisting in its economic working, and adding to the future value of the estate. Every dormitory is filled to its utmost capacity, and new developments are being pushed forward.