BOUNDARY FENCES 375 



repair as the field had required for a certain number of years 

 back, say, fifteen or twenty. 



With regard to (c), surely the Bill could be so amended as to 

 fully cover these points, and if disputes did arise regarding 

 them they could be referred to the County Council or the Board 

 of Agriculture, or some other inexpensive tribunal. 



The great point to be aimed at is to prevent a farmer being 

 able to claim and recover damages for trespass by his neighbour's 

 stock when that trespass has been caused solely by his own 

 neglect and fault. If, however, the representatives of arable 

 counties still object to give a helping hand to their fellow -farmers 

 in grazing districts in promoting legislation which is necessary 

 and desirable to the latter, then I would suggest that the Com- 

 mittee reconsider the subject with the idea of ascertaining whether 

 powers could not be conferred on County Councils to make regu- 

 lations on this matter which may be applicable and desirable 

 for their respective counties. 



Signed by, 



W. W. MAUDE. 

 C. F. ROBERTS. 



REPORT BY MR. THOS. B. BAINBRIDGE. 



Whilst I agree with the report, with the exception of Clauses 27 

 and 28, I am of opinion that an Act might be passed providing 

 that the owner of a fence which has been a boundary fence and 

 answered that purpose for at least twenty years, and the owner 

 or occupier deliberately neglects to repair or maintain the same in 

 an efficient state, after due notice has been given by the adjoin- 

 ing occupier, should be debarred from obtaining compensation for 

 any damage done to his crops by cattle straying through such 

 neglected fence. 



THOS. B. BAINBRIDGE. 



Rivers Conservancy and Prevention of Floods. 



In December, 1878, the Lincolnshire Chamber sent a depu- 

 tation to the Home Secretary on this question, and asked the 

 Central Chamber to support them. As, however, the subject 

 had never been before the Council they were unable to do so. 

 In the following April, after a very instructive debate in which 

 the Marquess of Ripon, the Marquess of Huntly, and Mr. 

 Clare Sewell Read took part, the Council expressed their 

 approval that a Bill providing for the conservancy of rivers 

 had been introduced in the House of Lords, but objected to 

 the mode of constituting Conservancy Boards, to the incidence 

 of the rates, and to the taxation of uplands. The Bill was 



