§ MR. SCLATER-BOOTHasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office, Whether the sum of £1,686 16s. 8d. paid to the Commissioners of Wood sand Forests as compensation for damage caused by fires in Woolmer Forest in May 1881 (as appears by the last Re- 471 port of the Commissioners, page 126), was paid by the War Office; and, if so, why the owners of private property who suffered equal or greater losses from the same cause were refused any recognition of their claims to the like compensation?
§ SIR AETHUR HAYTERSir, in reply to the right hon. Gentleman, I have to say that the War Office has paid the sum of £1,686 to the Commissioners of Woods and Forests as compensation for damage caused by fire on land at Woolmer Forest leased by the War Department from the Commissioners of Woods and Forests. The payment was made because, by the terms of the lease, the War Department is bound to make good all damage by fire on this land. No land is held at Woolmer of private owners, and the Secretary of State for War has no liability in respect of the adjacent lands not rented by him.
§ MR. SCLATER-BOOTHsaid, he would again call attention to the subject.