Wednesday 17 May 2006

Turf war

Does this surprise anyone? Scotland's new public access law has created some problems:
During a meeting at Prestwick golf club the cross-party golf club heard complaints of dogs fouling greens, shoppers taking shortcuts across fairways and about altercations between walkers and tourists playing golf.

Alastair Morrison, the MSP who chairs the group, said: "There has been a great increase in the number of incidences where people have not been accessing golf courses responsibly."

Mr Morrison is a member of the Labour party - you know, the people who brought in the new public access law. He's not exactly a fan of property rights, as we can read here:
In these writings I've also quoted Alasdair Morrison MSP. Speaking around the same time as Wilson's magnificent speech, he said: "Notice has now been served on rapacious landowners who have abused wealth and privilege. An unstoppable reforming process has begun."
So, the "unstoppable reforming process" hasn't quite worked out as its proponents expected, has it? People aren't "accessing golf courses responsibly". Of course not. If you spend your life proclaiming that private property is a wicked evil, to be opposed at every turn, this is exactly the outcome that you'll achieve.

Note this too:

Helen Todd of Ramblers Scotland (RS) said she was disappointed golfers had gone straight to members of the Scottish parliament rather than talk to groups like hers.
What a cheek: RS didn't hesitate to advocate legislation to get what they wanted, did they? They weren't happy just to "talk".

When I lived in Prestwick, it was perfectly normal to cross golf courses without behaving aggressively. But that was because everyone knew that the courses were private property and that we were lucky to be able to have access.

Note the bit about altercations with tourists. I can see a terrible consequence of Scotland's attack on property rights. Eventually, a visitor will get attacked. Word will get out abroad. Tourists will stop coming here and idiot politicians will have destroyed yet another industry.

1 comment:

David Farrer said...

Comments made on previous template:

Mark Holland
Episode 18, Series Three of Hancock's Half Hour (Radio) 
 
The Greyhound Track. Broadcast 15 February 1956 
 
Hancock's country mansion, newly decorated, is imperilled when Mayor Sid James decides to build a greyhound track on the site. In an attempt to evict Hancock, Sid discovers that a public footpath runs right through his house. 
 
(From the CD boxed set liner notes.)

18 May 2006, 20:17:04 GMT+01:00
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Alcoholiday
Harry Kemp in The Herald today demonstrates the contempt for private property you mention.  
 
He states that " the land is seriously under-utilised" and "Most courses in Scotland, the home of golf, are owned by private clubs... I cannot see what is wrong with ordinary people walking on these courses at such times, when there is frequently not a golfer to be seen." 
 
http://www.theherald.co.uk/features/62222.shtml 
 
I intend to test out his views by walking through his house. After all, the property must be under-utilised as he can't be in every room at once, or do his views on private property change at his own front door?

18 May 2006, 17:12:51 GMT+01:00
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dearieme
Secure property rights are the basis of civilised society. Either NuLabour doesn't understand that i.e. is stupid, or does, and wishes to undermine civilised society.

17 May 2006, 12:09:45 GMT+01:00