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It is threatened that this Bill shall be vigorously
opposed, and it is not difficult to know whence the
opposition comes.
It may well be that upon a consideration of the
recommendations of the Commissioners, Parliament,
and all those who take an interest in the Epping
Forest question, will think they are by far too unjust
to have legal effect given to them. If there were no
other suggestion before Parliament, as this Epping
Forest question has been long waiting for final
settlement, these recommendations might have been
accepted, but the Corporation having themselves set-
tled the greater part of the Forest questions, and
obtained the ownership of the greater part of the
soil, presents an alternative Bill to Parliament to
enable its work to be completed, an alternative which
while it touches no disputed question whatever, nor
seeks power over any other land but that of the
Corporation, will, if it be passed into law, enable
these 3,500 acres to be at once enjoyed. This would
not suit the enclosers because they want a bill to
keep their land against the commoners, who are
claiming it, and hence if the Corporation bill can be but
stopped by any means whatever, they would be able
to say there is now no proposal but the Commissioners'
scheme before Parliament.
There remains one more point to be noticed. It
has been seen that the Corporation owns 3,500 acres of