§ MAJOR RASCH (Essex, S.E.)asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether, with reference to the recent outbreak in Essex, the Government will now state what compensation they will allow farmers, who must cut their corn within a foot of the ear, and burn their straw and chaff, on account of the urgent necessity of immediately destroying the larvæ of the Hessian fly?
THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. MATTHEWS) (Birmingham, E.)The Government have no power to grant compensation without the assistance of Parliament. They fool the importance and urgency of the question raised by my hon. and gallant Friend; and they have requested the hon. Member for the Maldon Division of Essex (Mr. O. W. Gray) and Mr. Charles Whitehead to report immediately upon the measures it is desirable to take.