The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-07 00:00:00

METROPOLITAN AND GENERAL FREE-
HOLD LAND SOCIETY.

Last evening a meeting of the shareholders and sup-
porters of the Metropolitan and General Freehold Land
Society was he'd at the London Tavern, Bishopsgate-street
for the purpose of balloting for forty rights to choose land
on the attractive estates at present held by the society.
Twenty of the rights were to be taken from the rotation
list, and twenty from the ballot division.
The chair was taken; on the motion of Mr. Richmond,
seconded by Mr. Hind, by James Miller, Esq., of Leyton-
stone.

The CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceedings, said that it
was a mistaken kindness on the part of those gentlemen who
hat called on him to preside at this meeting, as he was
labouring under indisposition so severe as to entirely dis-
enable him to officiate in the manner as he would desire,
and as the event demanded ; and it was only the earnest
interest he felt, in common with the many present, in all
that concerned the interests of the Metropolitan Freehold
Land Society, that had induced him to attend that even-
ing. He would ask of them, then, indulgence from making
further remarks; 'but there were a few matters of business
detail which he would ask his friend, Mr. Hind, to explain
to the meeting.
Mr. BRUCE HIND (well known as an ardent supporter of
the cause), said his friend Mr. Miller had given him a cha-
racter as one well versed in matters relating to the free-
hold movement to which he did not feel himself entitled.
Still, iu the fact of the Chairman's indisposition, he would
undertake to go into what little of business detail
would be of interest to the shareholders present He
was glad to see an attendance of the society's supporters,
He always looked with anxiety for faces he had been used
to recognise since first he had been connected with the
society. He was glad to see that neither public excitement
without their homes, nor hard times within them, pre-
vented their still appearing at the society's meetings as
usual, to give, by their presence, that encouragement which
was all they asked in recompense for their exertions.
(Cheers.) There was a time when a full attendance at a
meeting of a freehold land society was a matter to be ex-
pected and never doubted, but since then fresh institutions,
professing the same objects, had been established, and so
numerously, that no town, no parish, not even in the city
of London, scarcely a, street was without one. The ques-
tion of " What is a freehold land societvl" used
once to be asked, but now it was " Who is not a member?"
The singularity was to find a member of one socioty only
—not as was the case of six or seven. He would not de-
tain them further than to say, as the only business com-
munication he should have to make (unless some member
had inquiries to make, which the committee were always
happy to receive and respond to), that some member had
mentioned it as objectionable the society's apportioning an
equal number of the right to choose to the Rotation list as
to the Ballot Section. The committee had given the matter
their serious considerstion, but had been so convinced that
the division of interest consequent on the existence of the
two systems, was so generally unsatisfactory to the mem-
bers as a body, that it would be better to continue the
present system by which the rotation list was being
reduced, that by a postponement of the proceedings to
prolong the cause of annoyance. He thanked them
for the polite attention they had given him, and
earnestly regretted the pleasure of addressing them bad
not fallen into other hands. As far as an earnest desire for
the progression and success of the M tropolitan Freehold
Land Society, and of the cause generally, went ; and as far
as his humble exertions could assist that advance, he was
ever happy to render them, and he trusted many future
opportunities of doing so under auspices as brilliant and
encouraging as those of the present would Ecequently
occur. (Cheers.)
Scrutineers having been appointed, the ballot w 'heel was
placed in their charge, and the following numbers were
drawn :-2,411, 1,042, 2,783, 1,159, 2,742, 3,50€, 2,730,
1,134, 2,547, 1,158, ',907. 2,454, 3,352, 3,455, 2,410, 3,572,
999, 1,232, 1,043, 1,162, 998, 2,202, 1,231, 1,16 E, 3,261,
1,163, 1,044, 1,015, 1,222, 1,160, 2,612,1,220, 1,21,3,60,
3,041, 3,420, 1,234, 2,769, 1,233, 1235.
The CHAIRMAN then rose and said the committee would
now feel great pleasure in answering questions, if any gen-
tleman had any to put.
None having been asked,
Mr. HIND said, as none of the gentleman present felt
disposed to ask any questions he took it for granted that
heir proceedings were conducted in such a manner as to
give universal satisfaction. (Cheers.) He had great
pleasure in moving a cordial vote of thanks to the Chair-
man.

The motion having been seconded, was put to the meet-
in. and carried unanimou
The CHAIRMAN briefly acknowledged the cdmpliment.
Thanks having been voted to the scrutineers, the pro-
ceedings terminated, after an intimation had been given,
that the purchase of the Reading estate had been completed,
and that it would soon be ready for allotment.