294, ROADSIDE WASTES. 
with the other encroachers, he had obtained the consent 
of the Surveyor of Highways of the district. 
It was obvious that if these inclosures were to be 
recognised as lawful, the example would be followed by 
all the other landowners on either side for miles, and 
that the road would be reduced from its splendid width 
and beauty to a narrow one of thirty feet, with high 
fences on either side. It was essential, therefore, in 
the public interest, to upset these encroachments. I 
found, as is usual in such cases, that there was a 
general feeling of indignation on the subject, but that 
no one knew how to act, or whether these proceed- 
ings were legal or not. 
I called together a Committee of neighbours—in- 
cluding the late Sir William Hayter, the late Mr. John 
Delane (then Editor of the Zimes), the late Mr. J. B. 
Smith, M.P., and others—and we determined to contest 
the legality of the inclosures. As the owners of ad- 
joining land, who had inclosed the wastes, had been 
allowed to do so, without remonstrance pending the 
erection of their fences, and had obtained the consent of 
the Highway Board, it was felt that we should not be 
justified in forcibly abating the obstructions, and leaving 
the parties aggrieved to take action in the Law Courts, if 
so advised. We adopted the more moderate and con- 
ciliatory course of offering to remove all the fences, and 
to replace them, at the expense of the Committee, on 
their old and proper line, the cost being estimated at 
from £600 to £700. 
The owners of the fences, when they found them- 
