The Sun.
London, England, 1859-12-13 00:00:00

Total withdrawals from the formation of the society on the
7th of September, 1852, to the 30th of September, 1859,
£91,883 ss. sd. ; total sale of land during the above period,
£228,117 2s. 6c1.,; the increase of bash receipts in the year
is £2,629 lls. Bd. ; the increase on the Michaelmas quarter,
as compared with the corresponding one of 1858, amounts
to £6,022 lls. Bd. ; under the head of income there is an
increase for the year of £456 19s. 10d. ; whilst the expenses
have decreased to the extent of £1,435 13s. 51 It was
during the last quarter that the general business of the
society assumed such a• marked progress, and the share-
holders will learn with satistiction that the aspect of the
eurrent' quarter (which ends on the 24th instant) up to the
present period has been most favourable, the cash receipts
from the 30th of September up to. Saturday last, the
lOth of December, already amounting to £14,083 Bs. 2d. ;
grand total teDec. 10, 1859, £422,057 2s. 7d ; total with-
drawals to the same date on share and deposit accounts,
£97,190 14s. sd. The last share' by seniority, after the
drawing 'on the 13th Dec. (this day), will be about No.
11,155, the last share issued to the 10th Dec. was No.
15,239; total uncompleted shares issued from Sept. 7, 1857,
to Dec. 10, 1859, 11,838; total completed shares, ditto,
3,401; total shares issued to Dec. 10, 1859, 15,239. The
returns of register of order of rights are as -follows :—Com-
pleted, 3,401; drawn, 2,993 ; seniority, 1,570 ; total,
7,964; deduct rights exercised on estates, &c., 5,600; un-
exercised rights,-2,364. Total amount of land allotted
during the year ending Sept. 30, 1859, £5,162 ; the total
amount of plots on sale at Michaelmas, 1858, was £52,765
18s. 10d. ; total, £58,227 18s. 10d. The sale on the allot-
ment of 1859 was £5,462; the sale of the stock in hand
during the past year was £8,507 la. 10d. ; total land sold
in 1859 was £13,969 Is. 10d. Freehold building plots now
for sale in various counties, £41,037 Os. 6d. Grand total
of land sold to Dec. 10, 1859, £231,415 2s. 6d. The only
new property offered ia the past year through the register
of rights was the Park Estate, Weymouth, the sale of which
was commenced on the 234 Juno last. Tho contract for the
roads and drains is now being carried out, and during the
progress thereof there is reason to, expect that buildings
will be commenced. From the competition which took place
for the hotel and other plots, the speedy disposal of the
whole of this eligible building property may be anticipated.
Its vicinity to the Esplanade and Bay, and the Great Western
and South Western Railway stations abutting on the land,
present advantages for the erection of houses now much
wanted in the rapidly increasing town of Weymouth. The
balance of profit on the Winchester estate has been carried to,
the balance sheet, but the executive committee decided upon
postponing the allotment of the Roehampton-park estate until
the present financial year, the reserve fund enabling the board
to take this course. Owing to the -gratifying position of
affairs, the interest, raised at Lady-day last from 4 to 5 per
cent. per annum on completed shares and shares paid a year
in advance, will be continued for the present at the increased
rate; and upon monsys invested in the deposit department
4 per cent. per annum will be allowed. As regards the
holders of uncompleted shares, in respect of which plots on
estates have not been taken, the same amount of interest
will be placed as bonus in their pass-books to their credit as
that already paid to the members whose shares were in
advance—namely, .at 4 per cent. per annum on the half-
year ending Lady-day, 1859, and at 5 per cent. per annum
on the last- two quarters ending September 31, 1859. It is
the pleasing duty of the executive committee to report the
successful working of the new system of business adopted
in October, 1858. The share, deposit, land, and borrowing
departments are now understood and appreciated by the
general public, as the increasing investments amply prove.
The consolidation of the legal and surveying departments
under one roof at the offices in Norfolk-street has been at-
tended with the most beneficial results, both in economy and
expedition. As an illustration of the latter it may be men-
tioned that plots of land nearly £l,OOO in value, in which
the departments of solicitor, surveyor, and secretary were,
engaged, and points 'were decided by the board, passed
through all the stages of negotiation and sale within a week.
Transfer of land through the society's system is, in fact,
effected as promptly as withdrawals and building advances
are made. Another instance of speedy transaction of busi-
ness may be cited. Since the last quarterly report a second
estate has been bought at Old Ford, and the purchase has
been completed, the deeds being in the society's hands. The
land has been mapped, and the mode of division approved
by the board, and the day of allotment has been fixed for
Wednesday, January la, 1860. This valuable piece of land
is only divided from the Old Ford estate, first bought
for the society, by the Roman-road, and has frontages
also to the Tredegar-road, nearly opposite St. Stephen's
Church. The Bow and Victoria Park stations, and the park
ii self, are close to tho estate. The specifications fn• the new
roads, being continuations of Usher and Armagh roads of
the old estate, will be forthwith prepared. The prices of the
plots range from £299 Bs. 3d. down to £36 lls. 61 per plot.
The Right Hon. R. A. C. N. Hamilton and the Hon. Col.
Lowther, M.P., two of the trustees, and It, Steven, Esq., a
member of the board, being unable to.continue their services,
have resigned, to the great regret of their colleagues in
office, who have tendered theu• acknowledgments for the
valuable aid rendered to the society since its formation, It
has not been deemed,necessary to appoint other gentlemen
in their places, inasmuch as the present number of trustees
and executive committee is in conformity with the rules.
The following members of the board retire by rotation, but
are eligible for re-election, namely, Col. B. Knox, M.P.,
Lieut.-Col. A. Meyrick, H. Pownall, Esq., L. Palk, Esq.,
M.P., and the Hon and Rev. W. C. Talbot, who offer them-
selves for re-election. The general returns from local agents
and surveyors are encouraging as to future building opera-
tions on the various estates. At the period of the strike of
the operatives a marked improvement had already taken
place, and the cessation of the combination, which is fast
woulcl let constantly
readily at remune-
rative made to the board
approaching, will tend to much activity in the ensuing
scheme spring.
for the
ur
Representationspose are
that, if allottees would but build, or form some combined
rents. It is a constant subject of complaint that
p,houses
holders of land neglect the fencing lit of their plots, and
make no effort to let or build. The allottees who have pur-
sued
a contrary course, and have looked after their property,
have in many instances realised. It is satisfactory to re-
port that the churches on the Maidstone and Winchester
estates are progressing and that for the church on the St.
Margaret's estate an influential committee has been formed
to insure its erection. Richmond-bridge being now toll
free is another advantage for the St. Margaret's estate. The
committee will afford every assistance in their power to add
to the existing communications with the Richmond,
Twickenham, and Isleworth stations. The drainage ques-
tion connected with the Kentish-town estate is in a fair
way of settlement ; and negotiations have been opened
which may lead to great advantages in the prompt develop-
ment of this eligible building property. The executive com-
mittee cannot close this report without a general reference
to the society's transactions for the sewn completed years.
Thirty-eight estates have been acquired in the following 11
counties :—Middlesex, Surrey (East and West divisions),
Hosts, Kent (West), Sussex (East), Berkshire, Hants
(North), Worcestershire (West), Lincolnshire (North),
Lancashire (South), Yorkshire (West Riding), and. Dor-
setshire. Thousands of persons have thus acquired the
freehold franchise—a genuine property qualification—pos-
sessing this marked advantage, that whilst it has enabled
numbers of professional and other investors to acquire votes
it secured for them sooner or later a good investment for the
price of the land. Experience has shown that the votes so
obtained are much valued by the holders. Numerous in-
stances might be cited of the alacrity and good faith with
which the society's allottees attended, at personal sacrifices,
to exercise their privileges at the polling booths. Bound
by no promise or pledge of any kind, it would be an act of
injustice on the part of the executive committee not to ac-
knowledge in this report the political fidelity of the large
majority of the society's voters. Some allottees who ac-
quired land with no party feeling, and whose opinions were
not those of the Conservatives, abstained from voting,
owing to a conscientious conviction that they were not
morally morally justified in voting for the opponents of Conserva-
tism. It is also a gratification for the executive cemmittee
to state that whilst they never hesitated during the last
seven years to declare at their public meetings, in every
part of the country, openly and frankly, their political sen-
timents, men of all shades of public opinion have expressed
their sense of the social advantages secured by the society.
The following is the list of deputations
from at which.
_
from the Conservative Land Society have explained its
working :--Nor wich, B render& Kingston-en-Thames,
Croydon, Reigate, Hampstead, Ipswich, Chelmsford, Col-
chester, Great Yarmouth, Gravesend, Woolwich, Deptford,
Putney, Rochester, Stratford, Derby, Nottingham Liver-
pool Baling, Hounslow, Leeds, Wakefield, Bradford,
B Halifax,Gloucestcr,Tottenham,'Richinond
Enfield, Reading, Worcester, Guildford, Lincoln, Newark-
on-Trent, Bedford, Mile-end, Islington, Hackney
Taunton, Malden, TunbridgeWells, Redhill, Kentish-to
Maidstone, and Winchester. In referring to the proceed-
ings of past years and to the magnitude of the transactions
in which the executive committee have been engaged, the
shareholders will perceive that there have been trials and
difficulties in the onward progress of the Conservative Land
Society, requiring more than ordinary vigilance and acti•
vity. To carry on its operations darieg, seasons of pressure
has required from time to time changes and modifications;
but the committee believe that stability and efficiency have
been thereby increased, whilst the original design of the so-
ciety has never been lost sight of. Under whatever aspect
the affairs of the Conservative Land Societyma.y be regarded,
the executive committee, in their seventh annual report,
.
cannot refrain from indulging expressions of congratula-
tion • and at the same time it is their grateful duty to re-
turn their thanks to the shareholders, whose co-operation
and spirit of unity have lightened the labours and anxieties
of the committee in their constant endeavours to secure for
the society a course of well-merited prosperity and useful-
ness.

(Signed) RANELAGH, Chairman.
(Counter igued) C, Id, CtRUNEISEN, Secretary.