WCP1504

[1]

Frith Hill, Godalming.

Oct^r. 16th. 1884

Dear Mr. Windust,¹

Your letter in the "Echo" was an excellent reply to the 4^s/- tax people; but I suppose you will get some rejoinders which I sh^d like to see.

As to the "Poster" I think it is a good idea, and I also think Mr. Mc.Donnells suggestion very good for it, with slight modifications. It requires to be clear, sharp, & ringing, — & his paragraphs are all this. We want to attract attention by bold statements of our facts & results, & he does this well. I have suggested a concluding par. wh. I enclose [2] on his MSS. as it is somewhat premature to ask candidates everywhere to "devote all their energies" to a subject so new and so little accepted as L. N.²

I enclose papers from the "Press Information Agency" — Suggest to next Comm. meeting whether it would not be well to subscribe for 250 cutting, & have them all inserted in a book & indexed for each year.

There was a letter in the "D. News" dated Sept. 25 — from "A Countryman" referring to ^a case of Roadside Encroachment at Great Marlow, and he quoted remarks of me of the Magistrates, Mr [3] Cripps,³ a Q. C., who referred to a case in which the law was clearly laid down — The Queen v. The United Kingdom Tel. Comp. — Baron Martin read a paper stating the law to be, that the public are entitled to the use of the whole space between the fences of a highway of varying width, unless direct proof to contrary is given." This ruling was appealed against & confirmed by the Court of B Bench — & he ^{(Mr Cripps)} concluded "The question is now in fact settled beyond future agreements."

Thereon I wrote to Mr Cripps merely to ask if he was correctly reported, & if he w^d give me a reference to the Report of the [4] case. In reply he says he cannot give legal advice (wh. I did not ask him for) but says the case mentioned is fully reported in the Law Journal Reports but gave no date –

Will you enquire at next Comm. Meeting if any member can consult the "Journal" referred to, find the "case", & give me an exact reference to it — date vol. and page. It is most important that we sh^d. have it, in order to convince magistrates & Highway Boards that in allowing these strips to be enclosed they are acting illegally.

Yours faithfully | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]