HISTORIC HOUSES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 172, 4 May 1936, Page 3

HISTORIC HOUSES.

A PLAN TO SAVE THEM. A plan to save the historic private houses of the country lias been drawn up by the National Trust. Steps are being takend to obtain Government aid, says the “Daily Telegraph.” The Marquess of Zetland, chairman of tho executive committee of the National Trust, outlined the plan at a reception at the Royal Geographical Society’s rooms to the Due <le Noailles, president of La- -Demueure Historique. Lord Zetland said that, with the present excessive taxation, there was a danger that the country’s historic houses would perish. For the past 18 months they had investigated the problem, and were prepared to form a new branch of the trust, composed mainly of owners of approved country homes. The functions of this branch would be:— To compile a list of country houses of sufficient historic or architectural interest to justify an application to the Office of Works for a, certificate of approval ; To create a fund out of which help might bo rendered to maintain, the building; and to try to obtain some relief from taxation. Lord Zetland added that, in his view, the surest way of securing the permanent preservation of such houses would be to transfer them outright to tho National Trust, which would maintain them and, if desired, let them at a reasonable rent to the owner.