§ SIR WALTER FOSTER (Derby, Ilkeston)I beg to ask the hon. Member for Penrith (Mr. J. W. Lowther), as representing the Charity Commissioners, whether he is aware that the labourers of Dazelbury Brian, in the County of Dorset, applied in the year 1887 to the Trustees of the Poors Land to set out the same in allotments, in accordance with the provisions of "The Allotments Act, 1882"; whether, in consequence of the persistent refusal of the Trustees to allot the land, an inquiry was held on behalf of the Commissioners in January last, with the result of showing that the Charity lands were well suited for allotments whether in May last the Trustees proposed to rent two fields from Mr. Digby for allotments, which were declined by the labourers of the parish as entirely unsuitable for the purpose; and whether, the poors land having been ascertained at the public inquiry to be well suited for allotments, the Commissioners propose to take steps to ensure the due carrying out of the Allotments Act of 1882 by the Trustees?
MR. J. W. LOWTHER (Cumberland, Penrith)The answer to the first question is, Yes. An inquiry was held by an Inspector on January 8, 1890, with the result that he considered five out of the nine pieces of land belonging to the charity to be conveniently situated for allotments. Some of the labourers, including Herbert Carter, expressed themselves at the inquiry satisfied with the land proposed to be 223 hired from Mr. Digby; but this proposal has since been declined by Herbert Carter, acting, as is alleged, on behalf of certain labourers. The charity land cannot be let under the Allotments Extension Act, 1882, until it falls into possession at Lady Day, 1891. In the event of the labourers persisting in their refusal of the land proposed to be hired from Mr. Digby, the Commissioners will direct the Trustees at Michaelmas next to give the necessary notices to set apart a suitable portion of the charity land in allotments.