294 ROADSIDE WASTES. 



with the other encroachers, he had obtained the consent 

 of the Surveyor of Highwa3 7 s of the district. 



It was obvious that if these inclosures were to be 

 recognised as lawful, the example would be followed by 

 all the other landowners on either side for miles, and 

 that the road would be reduced from its splendid width 

 and beauty to a narrow one of thirty feet, with high 

 fences on either side. It was essential, therefore, in 

 the public interest, to upset these encroachments. I 

 found, as is usual in such cases, that there was a 

 general feeling of indignation on the subject, but that 

 no one knew how to act, or whether these proceed- 

 ings were legal or not. 



I called together a Committee of neighbours in- 

 cluding the late Sir William Hayter, the late Mr. John 

 Delane (then Editor of the Times), the late Mr. J. B. 

 Smith, M.P., and others and we determined to contest 

 the legality of the inclosures. As the owners of ad- 

 joining land, who had inclosed the wastes, had been 

 allowed to do so, without remonstrance pending the 

 erection of their fences, and had obtained the consent of 

 the. Highway Board, it was felt that we should not be 

 justified in forcibly abating the obstructions, and leaving 

 the parties aggrieved to take action in the Law Courts, if 

 so advised. We adopted the more moderate and con- 

 ciliatory course of offering to remove all the fences, and 

 to replace them, at the expense of the Committee, on 

 their old and proper line, the cost being estimated at 

 from 600 to 700. 



The owners of the fences, when they found them- 



