§ MR. JESSE COLLINGS (Birmingham, Bordesley)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that an application for allotments under the Act of 1887 has been made to the Local Board of Charlton Kings by the labourers of Ryeworth; that the Local Board have been unable to supply the demand owing to the unwillingness of the owner of the only suitable land in the locality; and that the said land is now offered for sale; and, if so, whether he will advise the Local Board to purchase it, or such part of it as they may think fit, for the purpose of supplying the applicants with allotments?
§ *THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. RITCHIE,) Tower Hamlets, St. George'sPrior to the notice of the question of my hon. Friend I had received no information with regard to the application for allotments at Charlton Kings. I have communicated with the Local Board, and have received a letter, from which it appears that an application was made to them for allotments by several individuals resident at Ryeworth. The Local Board proceeded to make inquiries with regard to the applicants, and they found that almost all of them were already provided with allotments or garden grounds. It is not stated in the communication which I have received that the Local Board have been unable to supply the demand owing to the unwillingness of the owner of the only suitable land in the locality, but I am informed that since the last meeting of the Local Board a communication has been received by them, in which it is stated that a portion of the land known as Ryeworth field is to be offered for sale in the present month, and suggesting that the Local Board should exercise their powers with regard to this field. This communication was to be considered by the Local Board at their meeting today. The Local Government Board have no such information as to the facts as would enable them to make any recommendation to the Local Board as regards this particular field, and as, in the event of its purchase, application would, no doubt, be made to the Board for sanction to a loan, and a local inquiry would be necessary, it would not be expedient that they should do so.