BUBAL COMMONS. 281 



tives of the Commons Society, Mr. Fawcett, Lord E. 

 Fitzmaurice, Sir Charles Dilke, Sir William Harcourt, 

 Mr. Bryce, and myself, combined in a determined effort 

 to improve the Bill. We succeeded in inducing the 

 House to adopt a considerable number of amend- 

 ments in the direction of strengthening the measure 

 against inclosures, and also in the interests of agri- 

 cultural labourers. We obtained the insertion of a pro- 

 vision of the utmost value, directing the Inclosure 

 Commissioners not to proceed in any case, nntil they 

 were satisfied that the inclosure would be for the 

 benefit of the neighbourhood, as well as for private 

 interests. The preamble was also altered in accord- 

 ance with this direction to the Commissioners. 

 Securities were taken for the adequate ascertainment 

 of local opinion, by means of public meetings at a 

 time when the labourers could attend ; and amend- 

 ments were made in the provisions with respect to 

 recreation grounds and allotments. The Commissioners 

 were also instructed to lay out paths and roads, so as to 

 give access to the tops of hills or to picturesque parts 

 of the lands inclosed. A locus standi was given to local 

 authorities to object to the inclosures of Commons. 

 Finally, the thirty-eight schemes which had originally 

 been scheduled in the Bill for confirmation of inclo- 

 sure, were taken out of it, and were relegated again to 

 the Commissioners, to be dealt with, ad initio, on the 

 principles laid down in the measure. As a result of 

 this, the Commissioners eventually reported that they 

 could not recommend inclosure in eighteen out of the 



