30 THE NEW FOREST 



A certain section of the residents of the New 

 Forest, with what they imagined to be astute- 

 ness, got up an opposition to the Bill, and suc- 

 ceeded in getting it so modified that, while the 

 relief of the poor was provided for, everything 

 in the shape of highway maintenance was struck 

 out. 



The idea of these agitators was that the 

 Crown would be compelled for its own sake to 

 maintain the roads for them. Nothing of the 

 sort happened. The Treasury, having consented 

 to a contribution for the local poor rates, was 

 far less inclined than before to expend additional 

 money on local interests. So the roads were not 

 repaired at all except just so much as to enable 

 timber to be carted. Worst of all, as the turn- 

 pike trusts expired by the effluxion of time, the 

 main roads became impassable, and the greater 

 part of the New Forest was rapidly becoming 

 impossible for wheeled traffic. In other districts 

 it was provided that as the turnpike trusts ex- 

 pired the maintenance of the road should fall on 

 the rates. But here, in the New Forest, it had 

 been contrived that there should be no rates 

 for it to fall on. These great turnpike roads 

 became derelict. No one was responsible, and 

 the country suffered greatly. Surely such a 

 condition of things could never have happened 



