The Express.
London, England, 1850-05-16 00:00:00

FREEHOLD LAND SOCIETY.

Lust evening a public meeting wan held at the
British fichool4com, Dentank terrace, Peatone.l e, for the
purpose of ',aphasia' the print:pies end objects of the West-
minster Freehold Land Seety ; Mr. Jose RSTSOLDS, the
treasurer to the Besaical Society, to the chair. Tne meet-
ing wee well attended.
The CHAIRMAN said this society was called the West-
minster Freehold S reel because it originated is that dis-
trict, but it was not cot fined to Westminster, but ern Open to
persons resident in other pans, and they had some members
even at Birmingham. For ce tunes the land had been gra-
dually getting out albs hands of the many into the bands
of the few, and with the land the few had acquired political
power. The boroughs had wrested some political power
from the aristocracy, end by means of these societies they
'mold wrest same. These societies were of the greatest
utility likewise is social point of view, inasmuch as they
waded to prevent a sea falling into depraved habits. and
preowned him with the mesas of safe and profitable invest-
meat for his savings; they enabled working men to acquire
property and at the male time to acquire political view.
Mr. G. HIJOGETT, the Secretary, stated that Mr.
Owe* Thompson, M P.. who bed bees advertised to attend
the senile,. had written to state he was too unwell to
eilnia. Mr. Thompson, be said, had always been fri o.sly to
these societies, bemuse they were independent of political
istlesses ; for although Mr. Cobden, Sir Joshua \Palms-
ley, and others, had joined some of them, and taken a lead
in their formation, the societies were really independent of
their it Mena. The object of the societies was to give to the
intelligent inhabitants of counties the right of the franchise.
The plan was to purchase large quantities of land at the whole-
sale price and to lot it out to the different members in small
quantities. In the mares of their Bet year the Birmingham
Cloci•ty received 4,0001. They bought two estates and al-
lotted them. The average met of each lot was IW., to white
was to be added the east of the law expenses 30e.,
and 21e. the stamp, so that for 221. 10e. each member
cot his property. By the ineames introduced by the
present Munnetra's:is the stamp would be reduced
to Of. 6d. or fa. Such being the cost, some of
the members were sot in a condition to retain
the land allotted to them. Is some cases they were able to
get 601 or 701. for the lot, but is no case did they get less
than 301. The object leis, to secure votes the lots had bees
let on building lessee, sad the rents were generally from
60s. to 600. a year. Tats society had followed the Beaks-
Leas society as closely as ciresustances would permit. The
payment was 2e. a ketaight per sham, which wee all de-
voted to the
iliarekese of lead. The expenses of the w-
eedy were pa out of a shilling entrance fee and one shil-
liag a quarter. The shares were allotted in the order
of prionfy of membership, and asy member could
at any time, mgine, a month's notice, with-
draw the whole of the money he had paid is,
but though there were from SO to 90 of these societies, there
had been no cam of withdrawal, bemuse it had invariably
happened that members were able to dispose of their shores,
if they wished to dispose of than, at a premium. This
society was founded last August. There wine 712 share-
holders who had takes 992 shares, sad they had 1,6001. I.
the beak. They had been desirous of effecting a purchase
add bad been in treaty for two estates, but one hid gone off
because the solicitor was not satisfied as to the title, aid the
ealtillitto• we re determined, as they were 'sties for others,
to be meat particular in requiring as anceseptiosable tills.
Mr. lIIITTON . . .

"?not the freehold land movement is deserving of the
warmest rapport of all who desire the egression of the of
base, tending as it does to improve the sods! and newel
rindition of the iadastrloste sad unenfrsashised elutes. This
meeting is of opinion that the restiows of the Westmiastar
Freehold Lend Society (of 4. Staidort-hoildinre, Strand,
presided over by C. Lushlsgtoe, Bq.. M.P 1, se /Entailed
teas 'trio', ere eminently cilwasted to effect that object ;
and tdat, inasmuch as it purpoees to enable its mentun to
oldsiu ei.tts is Middlesex and other counties, the meeting
soltrs it worthy the cordial support of the inhabitants of
Fin-hury."
Mr. II VINE, is seconding the resolution, 'hewed the
greet si Vlllatage of thttesotreties to be that they were enabled
to hue lai d for ouch kill by buying It is large quantities,
and distributing it to the seemben at the wholesale pries.
The Abutment. of the Birmingham Society toot, on an
average, 214. 94., sad they bed let none of them for lees than
50s ayi sr, sad one fetched se much se 41. He showed that
by • ptritos taking one share, and tonal:tales to reinvest the
' proceeds, be would at the sad of thirty years be in the re-
ceipt of se income of 441. a year.
The resolution was then pat sad carried sassloossly.
A Tots of thanks was this given to the shakeout, sad the j
oestiai separated.