Lord Hampden, the late Speaker of the House of Commons
and a man of most sober judgment, agrees, we perceive, with Mr. Chamberlain that local Councils might be entrusted with the power of acquiring lands for distribution in allotments. In a letter to his own tenantry near Lewes, read at a harvest dinner, he states that he is in favour of abolishing primogeniture and the right of settlement, of enfranchising copyholds, and of allowing large powers to local bodies for the acquisition of lands to be distributed in allotments ; but whether he would permit expropriation at a fixed price is left obscure. Lord Hampden's opinion is entitled to respect, more especially as he has endeavoured to introduce co-operation on his own estate ; but he appears not to have considered the grand objec- tion to the scheme. It is an appropriation of public money for the benefit, not of all, or even of the poor, but of that class of the poor only which wishes for pieces of land. We might almost as well—in principle, at all events—grant double poor relief to those who had formerly been grooms, and to those only. Mr. Chamberlain says there would be no loss, because rents for patches are always paid ; but he forgets that the tenants on a private estate pay under compulsion. Where would be the compulsion, if the labourers elected the Council and the Council had to distribute the lands, and evict on non- payment of rent P
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