32 THE COMMITTEE ON COMMONS. 
not necessary that any part of it should be sold. After 
these recommendations, and upon the understanding that 
the scheme of fencing the Common should be dispensed 
with, the Wimbledon Bill was read a second time in 
the House of Commons, but was subsequently not 
further proceeded with. 
Meanwhile, Mr. Doulton’s Committee continued 
their inquiry into the other Commons round London. 
Evidence was laid before them as to the condition, 
physical and legal, of many of the most important of 
these open spaces, such as Hampstead, Blackheath, 
Barnes, Wandsworth, Tooting, Epsom, Banstead, 
Hackney, and Epping Forest. 
In all these and other cases, the evidence showed 
that the difficulties, which had been described by Lord 
Spencer with regard to Wimbledon Common, existed in 
at least an equal degree. The surface of most of the 
Commons had been greatly deteriorated by excessive 
and careless digging of gravel-pits, by the collection of 
nuisances, the deposits of cinder and dust-heaps and 
manure, and by the firimg of gorse or brushwood. 
Complaints were made that tramps and bad characters 
frequented the wastes without interference by the 
police. In some cases the Lords of the Manors 
admitted and deplored their inability to deal with these 
abuses. In other cases, it was apparent that there 
was neither the will nor the means to check them, as it 
was hoped that the want of order and the unchecked 
existence of nuisances would act as inducements to the 
commoners and residents to join in inclosure rather 
