THE LAND OF PUBLIC RIGHT.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE" SPECTATOR."] SIR,—Your article on "The Land of. Public Right" leads me to make a further suggestion. If land is to be made available, after the war, for returning soldiers and others, preparation should be niade now, when large quantities of land are coming into the open market. If this opportunity is let slip, the land will have to be got ultimately in a hurry, and probably by expropriation—always a slow and costly process, and one involving much heartburning. Expropriation is all the more likely, as land for the special pur- pose in view should be land above the average in quality, and must possess certain other advantages rendering it particularly desirable to the holder, who will be presumably an unwilling seller. There is therefore great advantage in buying in the open market as occasion offers. Moreover, in the case of such land as is eventually acquired, there may well have been two sets of sales and purchases, two sets of expenses, and two sets of tenants disturbed or made anxious. I suggest that facilities for the pur- chase of suitable land be restored to County Councils imme- diately, with a possible proviso that payment should be made in National War Bonds, the interest only to be made available to the seller for a definite period, after which the Bonds should pass
to him automatically.—I am, Sir, &c., M. C.
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