§ MR. YERBURGH (Chester)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he can state the amounts charged on estates under the several Drainage and Improvement Acts from 1847 to 31st December, 1892, for labourers' cottages, farm buildings, and drainage; whether he can state the total amount charged upon estates for improvements under the said Acts; and whether he can state the average amount of interest charged under the said Acts?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE (Mr. H. GARDNER,) Essex, Saffron WaldenThe total amount charged upon estates for improvements from the commencement of the Public Money Drainage Acts in 1847, and under the subsequent Improvement Companies Acts and others, up to the 31st December, 1892, amounts to £16,253,512, of which £1,031,436 was for labourers' cottages, £4,568,078 for farm buildings, and £8,942,561 for drainage. The interest charged has varied from about 3½ to 5 per cent., and the average rate may be taken at between 4 and 4½ per cent.