The Bee-Hive. — 1871-07-29 (London, England)

ODGER.  Mr. ODGER says that the quantity of land which has not increased in value, irrespective of the owner's outlay upon it, "is small indeed." If a Committee of the House of Commons should be appointed to inquire into the subject, I believe I can prove that this "small" quantity amounts to millions of acres.  It does not at all signify how long I kept my port wine, or of what crop of grapes it was made. It immensely increased in value, without any outlay of mine, and so proves that land is not the only thing which so increases. This said wine is only one example out of many. I might have mentioned pictures, plate, books, or china; so wine is not the "solitary exception." Mr. 0 DOER says the landowner has done "nothing" for the land on which houses are erected. In a vast num ber of eases, he has given £l,OOO or £2,000 an acre for it; and may have held it for years in the expectation of its being built upon, till, with the compound interest, it may ha.Ve cost him £3,000 or £4,000 an acre. The State has never abandoned the right to purchase any land when the public interest required it, so the whole question.resolves itself into a question of 'expediency. "Nationalising" the land by confiscation would be simple robbery, and would never be sanctioned, by the working men of this country. I believe I know as much about land as anybody, and I am persuaded that nationalising the land by purchase, would lead to an amount of:jobbery, corruption, and waste, of which Mr. OMER has no conception. Still, if a considerable number of the working men think otherwise, I am quite willing, as a tax-payer, o bear my share of the loss in the experiment. The columns of the Times are crammed with advertisements of land to sell. Let mt odd million be spent in purchasing some of it, and if a strict naccount of profit and loss is kept for twenty years, 1 think, the question would be settled for over. I am a sincere friend of the working.classes. Their welfare and happiness ought to be the 'chief object of all Governments. If I at all ,deserve a good turn from them, they have now an opportunity of doing me one. I have an estate in Yorkshire which was valued, ten years ago, by one of the most experienced valuers of land in this country, at £11,400.. I have laid out £7OO on it in draining, and I shall be sincerely obliged to Mr, O.DG ER if he will persuade, the State to buy it .at this old valuation, sinking my outlay altogether. The tenant holds from year to year. I will undertake to compensate him for every shilling to which he may have any ortitaide, claim, and tnY proposed experiment may commence next April.  CIULISTOPAIEIL NEV tLE.  It is announced that the courts-martial at Versailles are positively to commence their sittings on Monday next.  IVEr. Edward Baxter, of Kincaldram, titther of the Secretary to the Treasury, died on Wednesday, at his residence, Haze Mall, near Dundee. The deceased gentleman was brother of Sir David Baxter. He took a great interest in the prosperity of Diuidee. He was about 80 years of age.  At the Guildhall police-court on Wednesday, Sir Robert W. Carden took occasion to remark that he had been quite surprised on reading some of the morning papers to rind published in them doounieuts which were to all intents and purposes private. He referred to the application that had been made on the previous day for the summons against Superintendent Griffin and inspector Mulvaney for perjury in tiro trial of Took for, the Eitham murder. Such tommiintcationS %vete itivecLyi constdorod priyate'w