On the same night Mr. Doulton moved for a select
committee (which was granted) to look out the best means of preserving open spaces and forests round the metropolis, and the discussion turned chiefly on the Wimbledon-Common scheme. The best speech was made by Mr. Shaw Lefevre, who rated indeed Lord Spencer's generosity of intention higher than we are disposed to do, but spoke very strongly in favour of preserving the open spaces round London for the recreation of the public. Ue pointed out the folly of that maxim of law which main- tains that custom sanctions the rights of the immediate locality to the enjoyment of such places, but not the rights of the more distant public. The right of a village like Woodford to play upon a green was good, but when Woodford becomes engulfed in the neighbouring metropolis, which needs the right far more, the lawyers tell us it is bad. He advocated the alteration of the law so as to give the general public a customary right in such places, as well as the immediate vicinity.
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