THE TERRITORIAL FQRCE.
[To THR EDITOR or THE " EITCTAILTO/I.1
Snir.,—In his interesting letter in your issue of August 22nd Mr. Edwin Freshfield suggests that it may be possible "to secure the assent of all the landowners in the district to the levy of a small voluntary rate analogous to the voluntary Church- rate made in many parishes." Now, while fully appreciating the "patriotism" of the suggestion, I venture most respect- fully to question the sense—common or otherwise—of calling upon the owners of land to bear voluntary burdens in addition to the enormous compulsory burdens laid upon them by the State. Everything which the present Government has
been able to do towards the injury of the landed proprietor it has done con amore, and yet at the very moment when we are being exploited for political purposes in the most in- equitable way your correspondent comes forward with the proposal that we should add a voluntary impost to the load of taxation and hostile legislation under which we already groan.
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