392 
On  River  Conservancy , 
of  the  stream,  and  exclusive  of  the  commissioners  having 
control  over  the  interior  drainage  areas.  Mr.  Tarbotton,  in  his 
evidence  before  the  Committee  of  the  House  of  Lords,  drew 
attention  very  forcibly  to  this  difficulty  of  dealing  with  rivers 
under  present  circumstances,  and  stated  that,  although  the 
Corporation  of  Nottingham  had  spent  a considerable  amount  of 
money  in  improving  their  section  of  the  Trent,  the  town  was 
still  liable  to  floods,  from  the  condition  of  the  river  outside 
their  boundaries.  The  same  is  the  case  at  Leicester  with  the 
Soar. 
Here  is  an  evil  of  a very  grave  character  that  demands  a 
remedy. 
There  is  not  wanting  a precedent  for  the  action  now  required 
to  be  taken  up  by  the  Legislature.  The  highways  of  the  country 
were  at  one  time  in  a most  wretched  condition.  There  was, 
as  in  the  case  of  rivers,  the  liability  ratione  tenurte  of  adjoining 
proprietors  to  maintain  roads  running  past  their  property, 
and  of  parishes  to  have  certain  statute  duty  done,  and  of  pro- 
prietary roads,  similar  to  canals,  but  there  was  no  generally 
organised  and  compulsory  system  of  maintenance.  As  the  popu- 
lation increased,  a better  and  more  extended  system  of  loco- 
motion became  necessary,  and  the  wretched  condition  of  the 
highways  could  no  longer  be  tolerated.  Attempts  were  first 
made  to  provide  a remedy  by  statute  duty,  and  direct  lines  of 
communication  were  opened  out  by  the  enterprise  of  private 
individuals  combined  together  in  the  form  of  trusts.  In  the 
reign  of  William  the  Fourth  this  anomalous  condition  of  affairs 
was  at  last  remedied.  A general  highway  Act  was  passed,  pre- 
vious statutes  were  amended,  and  the  law  relating  to  highways 
placed  on  a satisfactory  basis.  The  responsibility  of  their 
maintenance  was  clearly  defined,  and  a remedy  in  case  of  default 
provided  ; the  money  required  for  the  purpose  of  repairs  was 
raised  by  a regular  system  of  taxation,  spread  over  all  lands  and 
buildings  whether  directly  benefited  or  not. 
As  the  roads  are  the  great  highways  for  traffic  and  locomotion, 
so  are  rivers  the  great  highways  for  passing  the  rainfall  from  the 
land  on  which  it  falls  to  its  ultimate  destination,  the  sea  ; and, 
as  no  land  is  exempt  from  rainfall,  it  is  contended  that  there  can 
be  no  injustice  in  making  all  pay  its  fair  share  towards  main- 
taining the  channels  in  efficient  condition. 
With  increase  of  population  the  circumstances  of  the  country- 
have  altered,  and  greater  efficiency  is  demanded  in  the  manage- 
ment of  every  branch  of  social  economy,  involving  the  imposition 
of  burdens  which  in  a more  tolerant  age  were  not  required.  The 
organization  of  a system  of  rural  police,  greater  attention  to  the 
preservation  of  health,  and  the  compulsory  education  of  the  rising 
