THE LAND REFORM POLICY.
[To THE EDITOR Or THE "SrscrA.Too,."J Sin,—Mr. Lloyd George has called together a committee to prepare data and obtain facts on which The new policy may be based. The new policy would greatly affect, and no doubt depreciate, the value of land. Land is a great commercial asset, and its value is estimated at three thousand millions of pounds. May I venture to suggest to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who is responsible for the finances of the nation, that he should appoint a special committee to inquire into the possible effect of the new policy on this huge capital ? The money value of land is real and actual It is not a dead, nominal qtantity of merely potential value to a few personal owners. A very large proportion of it is mortgaged, not only to private persons sufficiently numerous fo.r their ruin to cause a public: calamity, but to the great life offices, whose separate advances cover millions, and whose insolvency would be a national disaster. of the first magnitude. Friendly societies are affected in like way. One thousand five hundred and thirty-one building societies, with funds over 74 millions, had in 1910 over 57 millions in inertgage securi- ties ; the members of these societies numbered over 600,000. This is not a question of a few rich men. It is an immense national interest which demands full, competent, and impartial inquiry and consideration before, and not after, any stops are taken.—I am, Sir, &c., EvELYN ANSELL. 4 Glenloch Road, Hampstead, N.W.
Previous page
