SALE OF LANDED ESTATES

Evening Star, Issue 14496, 22 February 1911, Page 6

SALE OF LANDED ESTATES

THE BURDEN OF TAXATION. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, February 21. The- Marquis of Graham has notified ,his tenants on the Gienliam Estate, in Suffolk, • that, owing to the burdens placed on tho land, ho will bo forced to sell his property. [A correspondent who, judging from tho prominence given to his letter, is a person of authority, recently wrote to tho London ‘Times' in regard to tho projected sales of parts of tho estates of some large landowners, which, he said, “you, sir, attributed to the increased burdens imposed on this class by the recent financial measures of the present Government.” “It is,” ho continued, “undoubtedly tho fact that there is at tho present time a distinct movement on tho part of many largo landowners to unload themselves of large parts of their landed properties. Tho Duke of Bedford led tho wav by selling his Thorney Estate in Cambridgeshire, and ho now proposes to sell nearly tho whole of his great Devonshire property, reserving only tho demesne lands. Tho Jato Lord Ancestor also sold a considerable part of his Lincolnshire and other estates. Announcements of the same kind have been made by tho Duke of Westminster in respect to his Welsh property, Lord Do La Warr in Sussex, Lord Sondes m Kent, Lady Carnarvon in Nottinghamshire, Lord Manvers in Lincolnshire, and others.” Tho correspondent then proceeds in a lengthy contribution to examino tho causes, his conclusion being that "if tho greater part 'of these estates were bought by tho tenants, what a change would bo effected in rural England ! it is probable that county councils would take advantage of such sales to purchase largely, witli a view to putting into operation the Small Holdings Act and multiplying tho numbers of peasant cultivators men living mainly upon tbo laud they cultivate under the certain tenure of local authorities, about equal to ownership in its stimulus to effort and labor. At all events it will bo much easier for local authorities to buy when the big estates arc- broken up by tho sales of largo parts of them.” He concludes : " I merely desire to point out that there are causes which sulliciently account for tho movement for the unloading by great landowners of parts of their landed'property without resorting to any political explanation. The landowners will retain half their properties, including their residences, parks, and eoveits. They will have quite enough for sporting purposes ; they will increase their net income by nearly ono-third ; they will bo relieved of subscriptions and charities m icrpeet to half their present acreage. It seems to rno that they have everything to gain hy such sales," j