TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION F. 753 



10^. a year because he will have the house at the end of fifty. The tenant ia 

 willing to build the house and give it up at the end of fifty years, because for those 

 fifty years he will have land for 6^. a year which is worth 151. Can any human 

 being give a reason why any one of these three houses, or their owners and occu- 

 piers in respect of them, should pay more taxes or rates than any other of 

 them? 



Then we have tlie enfranchisement of leaseholds. . As you are to have a paper 

 read on this, I will say no more than that you do not compensate a man when vou 

 take from him what he would rather keep as a matter of business than have what 

 you give him— not if it is twenty shillings for his sovereign. 



I regret to say that these schemes and ideas receive encouragement from Parlia- 

 ment. I was told by a gentleman, than whom there is no better authority, when the 

 Manchester Ship Canal Company was unable to raise capital, that it was owing to the 

 distrust that existed among capitalists that their property was not safe — a distrust, 

 I regret to say, well justified. The water companies of London were entitled to 

 charge according to the real annual value of the houses supplied. An Act was 

 passed at the instance of a private member that the charge should be on the rated 

 value, which is very commonly five-sixths of the real value. It was passed by some 

 who knew no better, by others who did, not without a blush ; but it was 9,000/. 

 a year loss to one company. In this last Session the following was done. If the 

 railway companies do not make a taritf of maximum charges satisfactory to the 

 Board of Trade, that Board may make one. In the Government Bill it was pro- 

 vided that their tarifi" should be 'just and reasonable.' It was objected that they 

 might think something less than their right by statute would be just and reasonable. 

 So it was suggested that these words should be added, ' equivalent to their existin"- 

 rates.' This was adopted. I need say nothing more in its favour than that Lord 

 Selbourne approved it. This was in the Lords. The Commons struck out the words 

 ' equivalent to their existing rates.' The Lords acquiesced. The ever-ready Marquis 

 gave as a reason or excuse or answer that Parliament would not adopt the new 

 rates unless they were equivalent. But why did the Commons object to the words 

 except to provide a power to alter the rates to what will not be equivalent ? 



I say property and freedom of action are not held in the respect they were and 

 ought to be. It is to combat this that the Liberty and Property League has been 

 established, and has struggled under their able Chairman and their indefatigable 

 Secretary. 



The "following specimens of proposed interference with property and freedom of 

 contract may interest you : — A Bill to give everyone a right of access to mountain 

 or uncultivated moorland for recreation or study. A Bill that, notwithstanding 

 any agreement to the contrary, a tenant may obtain compensation for improvements 

 done against the landlord's consent. A Bill to compel an employer to give his 

 servants holidays without deduction from wages. Another Bill to let a tenant 

 impj-ove without and against his landlord's consent and opinion, and against their 

 agreement. A Bill that a colliery tenant may, notwithstanding any agreement to 

 the contrary, have his lease extended if he has been unable to work owing to 

 depressed state of trade. A Bill that everybody may fish in rivers which are 

 highways or along which there is a right of passage. A Bill that property may 

 be taken for labourers' dwellings without payment of compensation for loss of 

 trade, profits, goodwill, &c. Another similar Bill, but one year's profits allowed. 

 A Bill which may shortly be described as one to introduce into Scotland the 

 mischief of the Irish Land Acts. A BiU that lessees of mines in Cornwall, not- 

 withstanding any agreemeTit to the contrary, may remove buildings. A BiU givino- 

 general right in Wales and Monmouth to go on lands for recreation, winbeny 

 gathering, scientific inquiry, sketching, or antiquarian research. A Bill that in 

 every execution against the goods of a household necessary furniture to the value 

 of 201. shall be exempt. In these cases rights of property and freedom of contract 

 are violated. 



Just one word as to Protection and Fair Trade. I have said of ' Fair Trade ' 

 that it is a taking phrase ; but really it is unmeaning. Does a foreign nation tax 

 our goods for the sake of revenue ? What is there unfair in that ? Does it do so 



1888. 3 c 



