On the Subject of Land Nationalisation

Alfred R. Wallace

[A letter to Mr. J. Hyder of the Land Nationalisation Society, 13 May, 1907]

Dear Mr. Hyder,-Although it is not safe to hallo before one is out of the wood, I think I may congratulate the Society upon the prospect it now has of obtaining the first-fruits of its persistent efforts, for a quarter of a century, to form an enlightened public opinion in favour of our views. If the Government adequately fulfils its promises, we shall have, in the Bill for a fair valuation of land apart from improvements, as a basis of taxation and for purchase, and that giving local authorities full powers to acquire land [pg 162] so valued, the first real and definite steps towards complete nationalisation....