NOTES 279 



to impart such a scientific trend to national education, from the bottom 

 to the top, as will affect the psychology of all classes and help to remedy 

 many patent evils." Lord Sydenham concluded by saying, " Upon Parlia- 

 ment and the Departments of State will devolve increasingly heavy respon- 

 sibilities. Here, also, a new mental attitude is sorely needed in order that 

 the gifts of science may be brought to bear without stint upon the national 

 welfare. We want in Parliament a group of Members with sufficient know- 

 ledge to submit legislation and all public questions to the test of scientific 

 examination as a corrective to the political and opportunist considerations 

 which have led to grievous mistakes in the past." 



Lord Montagu, in his address " On Some National Aspects of Transport," 

 discussed its existing difficulties and suggested some remedies. He said, 

 " The time has now arrived, therefore, when we should consider whether 

 special roads for mechanical road traffic, from which all other traffic should 

 be excluded, should not be provided, both from the point of view of allevia- 

 ting the unfair burden borne by the present roads — which, except in respect 

 of about half the main road mileage, are unfitted to bear this traffic — and 

 because only at very great expense can they be made suitable for carrying 

 heavy mechanical traffic. ... I see no reason why overhead road traffic 

 should not exceed the speeds of the ordinary suburban train services. I 

 have always been convinced of the possibility and desirability of roads 

 specially built and reserved for mechanical vehicles, and I am of opinion 

 that to-day it is probably the best immediate solution of our increasing 

 suburban traffic difiiculties, and possibly of many other transport problems 

 concerned with greater distances. In a brief paper such as this, it is impos- 

 sible to discuss every national aspect of transport. But there is one sug- 

 gestion as to how increased transport facilities should be assisted on which 

 a word might be said. In the case of the extension, by private or public 

 capital, of tramways, railways, or roadways, either outside large towns or 

 into the areas which certainly benefit from better transport facilities, it 

 may be asked whether the increased local values due to such construction 

 should not contribute to the cost. To take a concrete instance, when the 

 tube railway was extended to Golder's Green, a rise of between 300 and 400 

 per cent, took place in local values within the next two or three years. 

 Towards this increase in land and house values the investor in the railway 

 largely contributed, but the owners of the local property reaped the advan- 

 tage without risking or paying anything themselves. No one will accuse 

 me of being prejudiced in favour of the undue rating of property or the 

 undue taxation of land, and hardly anyone is now an advocate of the kind 

 of land taxes brought in under the famous and now defunct Budget of 1909. 

 But it is quite conceivable that what might be called a local transport bene- 

 fit tax might be levied on those who become richer by the extension of 

 traffic facilities in their areas. The method of assessment and manner of 

 collecting such a tax requires a great deal of consideration, and I am not 

 prepared to go into details to-day. But there can be no doubt as to the 

 inherent justice of asking that property of any kind, benefited by the em- 

 ployment of public or private money, should pay something for the benefit 

 conferred. The revenue thus raised could be used in at least three direc- 

 tions: (i) To cheapen the rate at which the capital could be raised to carry 

 out these services ; (2) to diminish the amount of capital employed, for 

 instance, by the land required for the line being secured free or at a low 

 rate ; or (3) to enable passengers' fares and goods rates to be fixed on a 

 cheaper basis owing to the annual or other kind of contribution made by the 

 surrounding property." But at the same time Lord Montagu recognised 

 that in some instances, such as Clapham Junction and Willesden, the advent 

 of the railway depreciated rather than enhanced the value of the adjacent 

 property. He suggested also the advisability of endowing a " Chair of 



