\ TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION F. 765 



As leading cases of class {b) may te noted — 



(1). Where, for the production of a certain utility, or avoidance of detriment, 

 a combination is required of which the value largely depends on its 

 universality. E.g., protection of lands against flood ; protection of 

 useful animals against certain diseases. 



(2). Especially where the combination of a large majority increases the 

 interest that the minority have in standing aloof. E.g., abstinence 

 from certain times, places, or instruments in fishing or hunting, for 

 the sake of future supply. 



(3). "Where a branch of industry, for technical or other reasons, has a ten- 

 dency to fall under the conditions of monopoly (total or partial). 

 E.g. provision of gas in towns. 



(4). Where, from the nature of the required utility, its producers could not 

 be remunerated adequately in the ordinary way by free exchange 

 of theii- commodity. E.g., utility of forests in relation to climate ; 

 scientific discoveries. 



(5). "Where the process of exchange which would be required to remunerate 

 a certain social service would seriously detract from its utility, from 

 waste of time or otherwise. E.g., provision of roads and bridges. 



(6). W^here Government is peculiarly adapted to produce the kind of utility 

 required. E.g., if what is required is security, as in the case of 

 savings banks ; uniformity, stability of value, as in the case of 

 currency. 

 It is not argued that Government necessarily ought to interfere in all 

 cases that come under these heads ; only that the general economic 

 argument for laisser faire falls away in such cases, wholly or to a 

 great extent, or is balanced by strictly economic considerations on the 

 other side ; and that it is important to bear this in mind in discussing- 

 any particular practical case. 



3. On Allotments. By Lord Onslow. 



The author pointed out that it was unfortunate this subject should have formed 

 matter for political controversy. It was astonishing how little appeared to be 

 known on the subject by those who were not directly connected with the land. It 

 was unnecessary to dwell at any length on the advantages accruing to labourers 

 from the occupation of a small plot of ground, as all interested in the question 

 admitted this. The supply of laud for the purpose appeared to be greatly regu- 

 lated by the demand. In the North, where wages were high, the allotment system 

 might be said almost not to exist, while in the purely agricultural counties the 

 practice prevailed extensively. The Voluntary Allotments Association, of which 

 he was hon. secretary, had publicly announced its desire to be informed of any 

 unsatisfied demand which might exist ; but these appUcations might be counted on 

 one's fingers. Even where land was let on lease, and possession could only be 

 obtained with difficulty, the local committees of the association expected at 

 Michaelmas next to be able in most cases to satisfy the demand. The points chiefly 

 in dispute were : (1) Whether there was a sufficient supply of land for labourers 

 who desired allotments ; (2) what was the size of allotment which a labourer 

 could cultivate without interfering with his regular wage-earning hours ; and (3) 

 what should be the rent and conditions of tenancy. On the first point, the recently- 

 issued Government return showed that allotments had increased from 242,000 in 

 1873 to 356,458 in 1886, while the number of laboui-ers had only increased from 

 746,918 to 766,712. If to these they added the potato-ground, cow-runs, and 

 cottage-gardens, of over one-eighth of an acre, they found there were no less than 

 708,712 plots of land cultivated by labourers, which, if held each by separate men, 

 would leave only 58,000 labourers unprovided. In Wiltshire allotments exceeded 

 the number of labourers by 460. Arranging the counties in the order of the 

 labouring population, of the number of allotments, and of the number of cottage- 



