1036 



Official Notices and Circulars. 



[JAN., 



All who have latelj^ acquired agricultural estates, and fanners 

 who have recently come into possession of their farms, will doubtless 



be a little puzzled to find a half-yearly or 

 How to Redeem Tithe, yearly summons to pay tithe. There is no 



reason to doubt that many owners of land 

 would prefer to rid themselves of the liability. Thanks to the Tithe 

 Act of 1 91 8 this is readily done, and at a reasonable cost; indeed, 

 during the past twelve months applications for redemption of tithe 

 rent-charge amounting to £21, ^i-^, and to capital values of about 

 ;^3oo,ooo, have reached the Board. Although the tithe included 

 in these applications must be regarded as considerable, being, 

 for example, nearly eleven times as much as that in the applications 

 received during the pre-war year, 1913, the Tithe Act of 191 8 

 has not completely fulfilled the hopes of some of its supporters. 

 Applications would undoubtedly have been larger but for the 

 widespread belief that redemption proceedings involved landowners 

 in a considerable amount of trouble. Nothing more, however, is required 

 in the great majority of cases than that the applicant should write to 

 the Board of Agriculture, giving particulars of the tithe rent-charge 

 he wishes to redeem, together with the names and addresses of the owner 

 and collector of the charge. All other work falls upon officers of the 

 Board. 



It is of interest to note that at the moment, where tithe rent-charge is 

 payable to the incumbent in right of his benefice, the cost of redemption 

 is about 1 7 years' purchase of the present annual value, ^^'here tithe 

 rent-charge is otherwise held, the consideration is about 15I years' 

 purchase. Persons who cannot supply correct particulars of the tithe 

 rent-charge jshould send to the Board a plan of their property, preferabh^ 

 on a 1/2,500 scale Ordnance'sheet, with boundaries of the land to be 

 redeemed clearly and accurately set out with a coloured edging. If 

 any further particulars are desired, they can be obtained, together with 

 the necessary forms of application, free of all charge, on application 

 to the Board. 



It is generally admitted that the common lands in England and 

 Wales are not only important as means of livelihood for small holders 



and others who live upon their boundaries, 

 Common Lauds and but also as a source of fresh air and recreation 

 How to Protect to town dwellers. From time to time, how- 

 them. ever, the Board receive complaints as to 



encroachments or illegal inclosures of common 

 land which are gradually reducing the area of the common lands in this 

 country. In this connection it may be useful to note that Section 30 

 of the Commons Act, 1 876, provides that a County Court within whose 

 jurisdiction any common or part thereof is situate may grant an in- 

 junction against or make an order for the removal or abatement of such 

 inclosure or encroachment. Under Section 26 (2) of the Local Govern- 

 ment Act, 1894, a District Council may in certain circumstances aid 

 persons in maintaining rights of common. As a rule, however, the 

 most effective method of putting a stop to encroachments on a common 

 is by means of a scheme made by the Urban or Rural Distirct Council 

 with the approval of the Board under the Commons Act, 1899, for the 

 regulation and management of the common. The necessary forms 

 and regulations under the Act may be obtained from the Board post 

 free on application. 



