To Be Equitably Borne.

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 244, 9 July 1919, Page 8

To Be Equitably Borne.

"Here a groat many, of His Majesty s 'subjects, whose property was taken compulsorilv during the war for administrative not defensive, purposes, were prepared to pay the price of victory provided that it was equitably borne b> the entire community. Our correspondence columns have given witness of that. Jiy tho acts of tho Crown in a national emergency 'all hath benefit-in the words of a seventeenth-century report-imd all should bear the burden. It was argued on behalf of the Crown thai; mere temporary occupation of premises could not inflict such hardships on their owners ns to make compensation necessary. _ 11. was fon'otten that in tho. case of hot;'.s a requisition of the buildings for years destroyed irreparably the goodwill oi the business, and that upon the restoration of the premises the owners would have practically to start a new enterprise. "The long and costly searen in 1- t ? fiecord'Office from the year 17IS. ii.r documents which might, buttress he claims Of the- Crown has failed. . ; ho medieval altitude towards the sanctity of property from confiscation without due process of law was uncompromising. Ihe .Monarchy threw over a. mystical and snnbolie' kind of popular government; and whore the people insisted upon their ri"hrs of representation they wore not always long without their triumph. The result of this appeal should go far to ciipr.ort public confidence in our Courts of Justice at a moment when, in other lai'ds, judicial tribunals are accused ot being the tools of executive government," concludes "The Times." "The King's Ministers might- develop a personality of their own, and bo neither tho servants of the King nor yet the sor-vi-it-i nf Parliament or lipoplp." says li». "Manchester Guardian." "We o.''e ot another stage, when many people are l'pjinninc to ask tlipnisolves whether (lie State may not have too much power, whether you call it perogative or. legislation." .