98 WIMBLEDON COMMON. 



be elected by the ratepayers tinder the Act, and the 

 other three by the Home Secretary, the Secretary of State 

 for War, and the First Commissioner of Works. The 

 consideration of the conveyance was a perpetual annuity 

 to Lord Spencer and his heirs and assigns of 1,200, 

 representing his average receipts from the Manor. 

 This, together with other expenses, was to be levied by 

 a rate on houses assessed at 35 a }'ear and upwards, 

 situated within three-quarters of a mile of Wimbledon 

 Common and Putney Heath. The maximum rate for 

 houses within one quarter of a mile was fixed at 6d. 

 in the pound, within half a mile, 4d., and beyond half 

 a mile at 2d. in the pound, the distances to be measured 

 by the nearest available road or footpath. The rate- 

 payers were to have votes in the election of Conservators 

 in proportion to the value of their assessments, and the 

 election was to be triennial. The expenses of obtaining 

 the Act were to be borne on this rate. It will be seen 

 that the principle on which the expense of providing 

 the annuity and of maintaining the Common is based is 

 that of "Betterment." The preservation of the Common 

 was considered to be in the interest chiefly of those 

 who lived near to it, and they were to be taxed in 

 proportion to their distance from the Common in a 

 series of zones. 



The dispute between the Lord of the Manor and 

 his Commoners was thus finally set at rest, and the 

 Common was placed under the management of those 

 who are primarily interested in its maintenance. 

 Under the Act, the Conservators were bound to allow 



