§ MR. H. H. COZENS-HARDY (Norfolk, N.)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board if he is aware that the Binham Parish Council, being unable to hire by agreement suitable land for allotments, applied to the Norfolk County Council to make a compulsory order to enable them to hire 70 acres required for allotments; that the Norfolk County Council refused to make a compulsory order on the ground that labourers desiring allotments might deal separately with their employers; and that a large majority of the labourers have declined to hire land except from the Parish Council; and whether, under the circumstances, it is possible for the Parish Council to obtain compulsory powers to provide the land required for allotments?
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. T. W. RUSSELL,) Tyrone, S.The Parish Council of Binham informed the Local Government Board that they had failed to hire land by agreement for allotments, and that the County Council had refused to take action on the requisition of the Parish Council for compulsory powers, and they asked the Board to intervene in the matter. The Board communicated with the County Council, and were informed that the Allotments Committee were satisfied that the Parish Council had had opportunities of acquiring land at a reasonable rate, of which they had declined to avail themselves, and the Committee, therefore, thought they could take no further action in the matter. The Board then wrote to the Parish Council stating that if they were desirous that the Board should intervene, with a view to overruling the decision of the County Council, they should formally petition the Board accordingly. The Board at the same time pointed out that some expense might be entailed on the parish by the proceedings consequent upon such a petition, and that under Section 10 (1) of the Local Government Act 1894, it was only when the Parish Council were satisfied that allotments were required, and were unable to hire by agreement on reasonable terms suitable land, that they were entitled to represent the case to the County 284 Council. It was added that on the information then before the Board it was not clear that the above conditions were fulfilled. Subsequently, in September last the Parish Council withdrew their application to the Board, adding that they did so without prejudice to any future application they might wish to make. The Board have not since received any application from the Parish Council in the matter.