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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 14
Present State or the Land Revenues
Present State or the Land Revenues.
Changes in the mode of keeping accounts as well as of administering the various estates, transfer to the Consolidated Fund of many hereditary charges formerly placed on the Royal revenues, and, not least, the general and rapid advance in the value of landed property, have brought about some improvement in the net yield of the united revenues from fee-farms, demised estates and woodlands. These being now rendered in one joint account, appeared as follows in the finance accounts of 1885.
| £ | s. | d. | £ | s. | d. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balances on 1st April, 1884 (as per Statement in Finance Accounts, 1883-84, p 20) | ... | ... | ... | 23,978 | 1 | 7 |
| Gross Receipts, Viz.: | ||||||
| Amount collected by the several Receivers of the Land Revenue in England and Wales, Ireland, and Scotland, in Alderney and the Isle of Man, in the Year ended 31st March, 1885 | 414,071 | 9 | ||||
| Amount arisen by Rents and Casual Revenues not included in the Receivers' Accounts | 27,003 | 4 | 7 | |||
| Amount arisen by Sale of Old Materials, and by Repayment of Moneys advanced for Surveys, and for Record Office and Docket Fees, and for Miscellaneous Receipts | 7,092 | 1 | 6 | |||
| Amount arisen by Sales of Bark, Timber, and Offal Wood, and Rents for the Temporary Occupation of Lands intended for Planting | 36,139 | 3 | 9 | |||
| 483,305 | 19 | 1 | ||||
| Office of Woods, 24 June, 1886. | £507,284 | 0 | 8 | |||
| £ | s. | d. | £ | s. | d. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chargbs of Collection, viz.: | ||||||
| Salaries and Allowances to Deputy Surveyors and other Local Officers in the Woods and Forests | 6,476 | 0 | 8 | |||
| Percentage and Allowances to Receivers of the Land Revenues | 9,565 | 1 | 9 | 16,041 | 2 | 5 |
| Other Payments, viz.: | ||||||
| Payments to Schools, Churches, and other Foundations, and Payments charged on the Land Revenue | 3,690 | 1 | 1 | |||
| Salaries and other Annual Allowances in the Department of the Rangers, Keepers, and others holding Ancient Offices in the Parks and Forests | 2,654 | 11 | 1 | |||
| Payments for Repairs, &c. on Crown Estates, and for Land, Property, and other Taxes payable on the same, and Allowances to Crown Tenants | 40,790 | 17 | 7 | |||
| Payments for Repairing and Maintaining Buildings, Walls, Fences, Roads, and for making Inclosures and Plantations in the Royal Forests, &c. (including Windsor and Bag-shot), and upon Estates of the Crown reserved for the purpose of raising Navy Timber, together with Rates and Taxes charged thereon | 36,558 | 6 | 10 | |||
| 83,693 | 16 | 7 | ||||
| 99,734 | 19 | 0 | ||||
| Paid into the Exchequer | - | - | - | 380,000 | 0 | 0 |
| Balances of the Accounts standing in the Names of the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Woods, &c. at the Banks of England and Ireland, and at the Royal Bank of Scotland, on the 31st March, 1885 | 27,163 | 13 | 10 | |||
| Balances in the hands of the Receivers of the Land Revenue | 829 | 2 | 9 | |||
| Balances in the hands of the Deputy Surveyors, &c. of the Woods and Forests(including Debts due by Purchasers of Produce) | 1,970 | 8 | 2 | |||
| Balance in the bands of Steward of Manor | 96 | 1 | 9 | |||
| Less.— | £30,059 | 6 | 6 | |||
| Other Balances | 2,510 | 4 | 10 | |||
| 27,549 | 1 | 8 | ||||
| £507,284 | 0 | 8 | ||||
"There are but two principles on which a Royal Forest can be converted to national use. First, by absolute sale and alienation and consequent trust in private interest to produce whatever crops are wanted. Second, by retaining them in the hands of Government, and trusting to officers and officers' deputies for the cultivation. The first is the only effective and honest proceeding. It insures to the public the cultivation of the waste tract. It saves all the roguery, expense, and patronage of officers for doing what centuries of experience tells us they never will do."