10 MAY 1919, Page 3

Lord Durham appeared before the Coal Commission on Wednesday, to

give evidence about his mining royalties and to be cross-questioned by Mr. Smillie about the old legal theory of land tenure. We cannot help wishing that the witness had shown some knowledge of the subject, and exposed forthwith Mr. Smillie's absurdities. Why did not Lord Durham quote what Lord St. Leonards said about land-owning ? It was something of this kind. " Theoretically no subject is sup. posed to have an absolute property in land, but if he obeys a few simple legal rules he can deal' with the land exactly as he likes, and as if in theory he possessed the most absolute ownership."