One-Sided: Radical Methods: Premier and Land Conference: Important Correspondence: The correspondence which passed between Lord Clinton (Chairman of the Land Conference) and the Premier (Mr. Asquith) concerning the reception of a deputation on the subject of the need for a Royal Commission to consider land problems has been issued and provides interesting reading. The conference, it may be stated, consists of delegates from the following bodies … Surveyors’ Institute, Auctioneers, … Farmers Club, … National Farmers’ Union … (several letters, including one to Lord Clinton written by the Prime Minister’s secretary) … … 10 Downing-street, Whitehall, S.W., January 1914. My Lord, — I am desired by the Prime Minister to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 22nd inst., enclosing a copy of your previous letter of December 20th with regard to the appointment of a Royal Commission to inquire into the land problem. The Prime Minister is of the opinion that it is not desirable at the present time to submit the broad question of the land problem to the consideration of a Royal Commission. Not only has a great deal of information accumulated as a result of the investigations of Royal Commissions, Departmental Committee, and private inquiries, including the Land Inquiry Committee, but the main facts of the situation do not appear to be in controversy. The problem is one touching the whole life of the nation, on which many members of Parliament are able to speak from their own knowledge and experience. The Prime Minister, therefore, feels that the House of Commons will be fully competent to deal with the matter when in due course it comes up for decision, without resorting to the help of another Royal Commission. The appointment of such a body would, in fact, only lead to considerable delay in the settlement of grievances which are well known, and for which remedies are urgently required. These considerations appear to Mr. Asquith to dispose of the reasons you adduce for the appointment of a Royal Commission, and he regrets that he must adhere to his decision not to receive a deputation the subject: Yours faithfully, G. H. T. PINSENT (sic). The Lord Clinton, D.L. This was followed by a request by Lord Clinton to be allowed to publish correspondence — a request the Premier granted.
Transcribed in whole or part from scanned originals: Presented with or without modified text and punctuation. For absolute accuracy refer to the original newspapers. Source: The British Newspaper Archive.
Referenced
GRO0365 Devonport: Gerald Hume Saverie Pinsent: 1888 – 1976