§ SIR WALTER FOSTERI beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to an award made by the Arbitrator in the case of the compulsory hiring of 10½ acres of land for allotments by the District Council of Long Eaton, Derbyshire, in which compensation of £112 was given to the landowner, £32 to the tenants, and the rent of the land, previously rented at 31s. per acre, raised to 55s. over the period of 14 years, whereby the tenant will receive altogether no less than £208 as compensation for the loss of 10½ acres of land, and the total compensation will amount to £320, or more than £30 an acre; and 864 whether he can take any steps to prevent the Acts of 1894 and 1887 being rendered nugatory by such awards.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARDThe Local Government Board have no information as to the award in this case, or as to the figures given in the Question. It appeared, at the inquiry held before the Order for the compulsory hiring was confirmed by the Board, that the land formed part of a farm of 210 acres, the rent of which averaged 32s. an acre. It was stated, however, that the land in question was the best field on the farm, that it would let at £4 an acre as a market garden, and that the tenant asked a reduction of £40 in his rent for the loss of the land. The Arbitrator was not appointed by the Board, but, I presume, by agreement. The amount of the compensation is to be determined by him, and the Local Government Board have no authority to interfere in the matter.