132 
Land Drainacjc and Improvoitcnt 
tain the power to charge for even as long a term as the less 
period (thirty-one years) to which the General Land Drainage 
and lmj)rovement Company are limited, and both the Iiish and 
Scotch Acts are subject to the same restriction. 
7. Having placed before the Society in a somewhat discursive 
manner the arguments bearing upon the important point — the 
period within which the cost of improvements may be repaid — 
we will now describe as briefly as possible the several powers 
and modes of proceeding of the Companies. 
I.— The West of England and South Wales Land 
Drainage and Inclosuee Company. 
This Company was incorporated by the Act 11 & 12 Vict., 
cap. CXLIL, for the purpose of " enabling owners of limited 
interests in land to charge the same for the purposes of drainage, 
irrigation, warping, embankment, reclamation, inclosure, and 
ianprovcment." 
It should be observed that this Company's Act does not extend 
to the erection of farm buildings nor cottages, nor in fact to any 
other " buildings" than those necessary and proper for executing 
the contracts which are by the Act authorised to be made. 
This Company has almost, if not entirely, devoted its powers 
to the execution of works for landowners, though it docs not 
withhold the application of its money where proprietors who 
prefer it take the responsibilities upon themselves. 
The terms upon which the Company execute works of improve- 
ment are not very clearly stated in their prospectus, which sets 
forth that after inspection of the lands to be improved a report is 
made to the Company, a copy of which is furnished to the pro- 
prietor, when the Secretary communicates the terms for which 
the Company will execute the work. It is specified, however, 
that 55. an acre is the charge for engineering and inspection visits 
during progress of the works (exclusive of travelling expenses), 
independent of the additional charges for provision of money and 
the use of the Act. 
Where landowners seek the use of the powers of the Act 
simply to charge their estates with any outlay that they them- 
selves may make, the Company's commission is 2\ per cent, on 
the sum chargeable on the lands. 
In no case is any investigation of title necessary. 
The West of England Company do not limit their operations 
to estates to be charged under their own Act, but undertake work 
under other Acts of Parliament, either on commission or by con- 
tract, for proprietors not rccpiiring to borrow the cost. 
