The Sun.
London, England, 1854-01-18 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 18, 1854.

SHARE MARKETS.-(THLS DAY).

FREE TRADE FREEHOLD LAND
SOCIETY.

BRITISH RAILWAYS.

Last evening a very fully attended public meeting was
held at the Prince of Wales Tavern, Brixton, to receive
an explanation from a deputation of the directors of this
successful society.
On the motion of Mr. JONES, seconded by Mr.
I.lNwirr, the chair was taken by

B. EvANs, Esq., who, in rising to address the meeting,
said he accepted the office of chairman with pleasure, as
he felt very great interest in promoting the freehold land
movement. He wished success to all, but to this one in
particular, because its affairs had been prudently ma-
naged. The directors were men of the greatest integrity,
their secretary, he knew, was a gentleman who had great
experience in freehold land societies, and such was the
high estimation in which he was held in Herefordshire,
that he had received from the gentlemen of that county
two handsome testimonials, not alone for his assiduity in
furthering the freehold land movement, but for his exer-
tions in improving the morals and education in that
locality. The benefits to be derived from entering a
freehold land society were far greater than any found in
investing hard-earned money in a savings' bank, where
the directors had been known to decamp with the
funds, and the unfortunate depositors left without
a remedy. The interest received where the security was
undoubted was about V. 10s. per cent., while in free-
hold land societies that sum was nearly doubled, ang,
with a far better security, and this fret alone was one
which deserved the greatest consideration on the part of
every man who had the foresight to provide for a rainy
day. One of the benefits conferred by the society to
those resident in this locality was, that it placed it
within the reach of all to obtain a freehold near the
metropolis. The Vassall-road, and Camberwell New-
road, were now considered to be in the suburbs of Lon-
don, but the great progress which building was now
making, would soon incorporate these places as parts of
the metropolis, and this society was so fortunate as to
have secured an estate a few feet from the house in
which they were assembled. He believed he was cor-
rect in stating within three miles of the Standard, in
Cornhill. The surveyors were present to afford every
explanation that might be required, and should
any gentleman feel disposed through him (the Chair-
man), to put any questions to those gentlemen,
he had not the slightest doubt but that they would re-
ceive a satisfactory answer. He had great pleasure in
calling upon the secretary, Mr. Smith, to address a few
observations to the meeting. (Cheers.) ,
Mr. SMITH then proceeded to explain the nature and
objects of the Free Trade Freehold Land Society. All
or most of them remembered the first establishment of
freehold land societies ; they had now increased to a very
great extent--indeed they sprang up like mushrooms, and
like mushrooms they would perish, unless they had that
security which the public knew how to estimate—a really
good and bona fide board of directors. Freehold land
societies were originally started for a political object,
but that object was fast falling into the shade. The
society with which he had the honour to be connected
had no such object—it was open to anybody and every-
body, to Whigs, Tories, Radicals, &c. &c. No man
joining was asked to what party he belonged; whatever
his political opinion might be, that opinion, he main-
tained, was entitled to respect. (Cheers.) The great
object this society had in view was to see how far they
could turn his saving to the best advantage, not only
to provide him with land, but to enable him to get a
freehold house, a freehold home—(cheers) not lease-
hold, but that which would be his heir's for as
long as 'the world would last. (Cheers.) When
a working man possessed a freehold, he would find even
the peer, at the time of an election, glad and anxious to
shake him by the hand. (Laughter.) This society had
purchased two estates,. they might have purchased
twenty, but when land was so greatly increasing in
value, the directors deemed it prudent to hold their
hands, until they could do so with advantage to the
shareholders. The security that land societies offered
was far to be preferred to savings banks, where the de-
positors got a mere trifle, and the security was not so
great as bad been imagined ; land, as Mr. Cobden
said, was the safest investment in the world, because it
could not run away. (Laughter.) The Free Trade Land
Society was not established for the mere purpose of put-
ting money into the pockets of the directors ; they had
a higher and a nobler object in view, and although they
had been established so short a time, he was sure he
could not be contradicted in stating that no society had
done so much in the same period of time. He would not
occupy the time of the meeting in eulogising the direc-
tors ; indeed, they would not thank him for it, and should
any gentleman feel disposed to question those who were
present, they were well able to speak for themselves.
Mr. Vionas, the surveyor, then rose, and entered at
leigth into the plans of their estates. The Camberwell
estate of 104 acres would be divided into 345 plots, the
maximum depth was 105 feet, the minimum 56 feet, with
a frontage of 16 feet, some more but none less. Land
in the immediate neighbourhood was fetching ss. to Bs.
per foot, and when the drains are laid down and the
roads made, they would be allotted at 4s. per foot, or 60
per cent. profit. The Anerley estate consisted of 78
plots, each plot containing nearly a quarter of an acre.
The maximum depth was 280 feet, the minimum 138
feet, the average would therefore be 199 feet. The fron-
tages on this estate varied from 65 feet to 52 feet 6
inches, the average therefore would be 58 feet. This
estate was situated about a mile and a half from the
Crystal Palace, in the vicinity of which land was now
fetching 1,0001. per acre, or one guinea a foot, and this
attractive estate would be allotted at Bd. per foot.
Within the last few days, 501. premium had been offered
and refused for an allotment on the estate, so any person
joining the society as a commercial speculation would
have no reason to be disappointed with his investment.
Mr. J. JONES, in moving the first resolution, said he
thought that if he attempted to address the meeting,
after what they had heard from the chairman, the secre-
tary, and the surveyor, he would not be tolerated for a
moment ; the preceding speakers having completely
exhausted the subject. He would, therefore, merely move
the resolution, which was to the effect that the success
that had attended the progress and principles of the
Free Trade Freehold Land Society was based on secu-
rity, and also alluded to the estates they possessed.
Mr. DICKINSON briefly seconded the resolution, which
having been put to the meeting, was carried unani-
mously.

Thew second resolution, that the society was worthy of
support, was moved by Mr. lINwIN, and seconded by
Mr. PRIOR, and carried in a similar manner.
Mr. JONES said, to show the value the exe-
cutive committee attached to the purchases made,
they had immediately doubled the number of their
shares, and in six weeks after the purchase had been
completed, the number of paid up shares had increased
to a very large extent.
The SECRETARY then announced that the ballot was
fixed to take place at the Whittington Club, on the 30th,
and all shares taken prior to that time, would participate
in it.

Thanks having been voted to the chairman, and a
number of shares taken up, the proceedings terminated.