532 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



do so. Thus in England, at the present time, there are large private planta- 

 tions. I would much rather see the private individual surround his pro- 

 perty with trees, than leave the State to conserve in different plantations. 

 The supply of wood to the community would he larger and cheaper hy in- 

 dividual effort than hy State production. Still, by all means, let the State 

 make a beginning. Personally, I have no faith in State interference with 

 material objects of any kind whatsoever. The duties of government are 

 best confined to the protection of life and property and immaterial require- 

 ments. 



It is not my intention to refer to any of the minor objections to the 

 leasehold title, numerous as they are, such as the exhaustion of the land by 

 cropping, other bad treatment, the horde of officials necessary to form the 

 " department" when in full work, etc., etc. I confine myself to the broad 

 philosophical, or rather economical questions. These matters can best be 

 left to our politicians. In China, the beau ideal land of quit-rent and tenant- 

 right, there is a land board for every village, composed of the oldest in- 

 habitants. If a man farm his land badly, he is publicly admonished. And 

 if he still continue the malpractice, he is publicly whipped. Such, of 

 course, must be the effect of the submersion of the free independent title 

 to State ownership. There is also another curious law in that country, 

 worthy the attention of our legislators, viz., the right of the mortgagor to 

 offer his interest to so many members of his family before the mortgagee 

 can take possession. Thus : A mortgages to B for 10,000 taels. The time 

 expires, and B wishes to foreclose. A cannot pay, but he has the right, 

 first to offer his interest to C, — his brother, — who can pay if he is willing 

 and able, and take the property ; or to D, — another brother, — or to E his 

 uncle, and so on. As I have before remarked, any Anglo-Saxon State or 

 Colony desirous of adopting the system proposed by Messrs. Wallace and 

 George, would do well to study the land laws of China. At the same time, 

 I think we might ask Sir James Fergusson, the present Governor of Bom- 

 bay, who, I believe is a member of this Institute, to furnish us with some 

 information touching the Indian land laws. I believe that gentleman would 

 willingly do so. 



