The Sun.
London, England, 1865-05-06 00:00:00

USE OF THE PUBLIC.

The Board proceeded further to consider the report from
the streets committee as to the steps to be taken by the
Board with reference to the question of commons and open
spaces for the use and recreation of the public.
Mr. BOTTLTON, M.P., moved the following resolution :
" That it is highly desirable to reserve the open commons
and spaces near the metropolis for public recreation and en-
joyment, such open spaces to remain unenclosed ; and that
the Board should compensate the lords of the manors and
the commoners for any rights of which they may be de-
prived. That towards meeting the expenditure to be in-
curred power should be given to this Board to sell certain
portions of such open spaces for building or other purposes."
Mr. BIDGOOD said it was most desirable that these open
spaces should be preserved, as no greater benefit could be
conferred upon the inhabitants of the metropolis, if they
could be secured at anythinglike areasonable price. There-
fore he most fervently hoped that no obstacles would be
thrown in the way of passing this resolution.

Mr. RICHARDSON thought the words, "that the Board
should compensate the lords of the manors and commoners
for any rights of which they may be deprived," were very
large, and might include all right of inclosure to which they
were entitled.

Mr. MILLER, M.P., said the resolution contemplated only
dealing with those rights which were proved, and not those
that were merely asserted, and in taking charge of any of
these open spaces they would sell sufficient to pay the cost,
so that the ratepayers might not be called upon to pay
heavy rates for them.
Mr. SAMIIDA said it appeared to him that the board should
look rather to the question of the public being deprived of
the use of open spaces which they had hitherto enjoyed
than to the money part of the question. He thought they
should at once apply to Parliament to provide the funds to
enable the board to carry out this great object, for it was
an object that must be carried out.

Mr. LE BRETON did not believe that the money question
was so formidable as some persons appeared to think. He
had lately attended the committee of the House of Com-
mons appointed to consider this question of open spaces, in
which the question of the preservation of Blackheath to the
public was brought forward, and it was stated that the Earl
of Dartmouth, one of the owners of the heath, was inclined
to act in the most liberal manner towards the public. The
other part of Blackheath belonged to the Crown, and he
regretted to say that Mr. Gore, the Commissioner of Woods
and Forests, acted in anything but a liberal manner to the
public, for he allowed a lease to persons to dig gravel over
this part of it to any extent for the paltry sum of £7O a year.
Therefore he said the possession of Blackheath was not a
formidable right to be acquired. On those grounds he did
not think that any one need be alarmed at any money con-
sideration, but that they should preserve these other spaces
not only for the benefit of the ratepayer, but those poor
persons who were below them. He earnestly trusted thst
the board would strengthen the hands of the chairman, and
that they would have the preservation of those places in-
trusted to them for the public.

Mr. CAIiPMAFI, said while they were willing to compen-
sate all legal owners they should take care of the rights of
the public to recreate themselves on commons and open
spaces, and therefore he hoped the board would strengthen
the hands of the committee of the House of Commons by
petitioning the House of Lords and the House of Commons
to repeal the Statute of Merton. He had already moved a
similar motion in the vestry of Wandsworth, for if they
could get rid of that statute commons and open spaces
would then stand free of local claims.

Mr. PHILLIPS said the question had now become one of
economy to get a number of open spaces for the recreation
of the public, and if they neglected the present opportunity
of securing those which already existed they would have to
form other parks than those that were now required. If
they allowed these open spaces to be enclosed they would
have to find other open spaces and make other parks, and
therefore, he said, it would be true economy to secure those
Commons and open spaces whibh already existed. He hoped
the Board would send this question to the committee, so
that they might come to a unanimous decision upon it.
Mr. DOULTON, M.P., said on Monday last the committee
of the House of Commons had been called upon to consider
the question of Epsom Downs, and he was happy to say
that the Lord of the Manor of Banstead Downs had proposed,
without any money consideration whatever, to place that
large tract of land at the use of the public. As regarded
Blackheath, the. Earl of Dartmouth in no way interfered
with it, and did not dig gravel from it, but the Crown per-
sisted to the present day in allowing persons to do so, and
granted leases for the paltry sum of £7O a-year to aman who
could do all over the common what he pleased. If this
Board was given power over Blackheath, they could prevent
it from being altogether ruined from the want of proper
control, and put a stop to the donkey racing and other things
which were there carried on.

The motion was then put and unanimously agreed to.
Mr. CARPMAEL then moved " That the Board do petitioi
the Houses of Lords and Commons to repeal the Statute o
Merton."

Mr. LE BRETON said the hon. member in making his
motion proposed to repeal a statute, which was something
like repealing the common law of England, and if the hon.
member had "Coke upon Littleton" in his library he hoped
he would look into it before moving this question.
After a few words from Mr. CARPMAEL the motion was
withdrawn.