The Reading celebration was continued on Thursday, when Mr. Shaw
Lefevre made another speech, in which he gave a very clear and interesting review both of the Rookeries evil and of the serious condition of agricultural labour at the present moment, and of the remedies for both evils. He pointed out that Lord Salisbury had been quite ignorant that an Act founded on the Report of the Committee of Inquiry into the Rookeries question did become law last Session, and be showed that its provisions would enormously diminish the cost of buying up rookeries. He held, too, that there was no remedy for the deteriorating condition of agricultural laboirers, except directly
interesting them in the soil by enabling them to buy their own- cottages and gardens, and so to gain a personal pride in agriculture.