We are glad to note the concession made by the
Govern- ment to extend the non-taxable urban garden area from one to five acres. That will prevent the covering of many town gardens with bricks and mortar, which would otherwise have become inevitable. In regard to the clause exempting parks and open spaces which are open to public enjoyment, we desire to urge very strongly a point made before in these columns,—namely, that a park, common, or other piece of ground shql1 not be deemed to be open to public enjoy- ment unless the soldiers of the nation shall be allowed access to such place for purposes of manceuvres and field operations generally, subject, of course, to payment for damage, if any be done. As a matter of fact, soldiers engaged in manceuvring and field exercises, or even in bivouacking, do infinitely less damage than the smallest picnic party. The present writer has had the privilege of having a battalion of infantry bivouacked in his home field, and within a stone's-throw of his dining-room windows, yet no damage, inconvenience, or any form of discomfort or destruction was done or caused by the eight hundred men in question. The mere moving of soldiers across parks or fields means, if possible, even less disturbance. We are the last people to object to picnickers and other pleasure-seekers having access to grass and open air, but it is surely ridiculous to give privileges to picnickers which are withheld from men who are training themselves for the defence of their country.
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