§ MR. R. A. YERBURGH (Chester)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, whether he will take steps to abolish the practice under which cottages other than those requisite for the proper working of the farms are let to the farmers on the Crown Estates, and to provide that only such cottages as are absolutely necessary for the requirements of the farms shall be let with them; and whether, wherever practicable, he will undertake that every cottager shall have a cow-run?
§ * Mr. HANBURYIt is the usual practice on the Crown Agricultural Estates to let with a farm such cottages only as are reasonably needed for the permanent labourers required for the proper working of the farm. While the Commissioners feel that it is necessary for farmers to have the control of a small number of cottages for their 793 necessary farm servants, they are opposed to any general system that would put all the labourers in any district in cottages let to the farmers and then sublet by them to the actual occupiers. The Commissioners are always ready to entertain any practicable proposals for giving cow-runs to cottagers, and they regret that in many cases projects of this kind which are set on foot are from various reasons hopeless.
§ MR. YERBURGHasked the right hon. Gentleman whether he would undertake on the part of the Government that this practice of letting cottages on Crown Estates would be done away with.
§ * MR. HANBURYsaid that he believed that his answer covered the question of the hon. Member.