§ MR. FLAVIN (Kerry, N.)I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Department of Woods and Forests is negotiating with the Duke of Beaufort for the purchase of Raglan Castle and Tintern Abbey; whether, in that case, it is on the ground of their beauty and interest, or for the purpose of the utilisation of the surrounding estates as timber land; and whether the land is immediately contiguous to existing Crown estates.
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Sir M. HICKS-BEACH,) Bristol, W.The answer to the first paragraph of the question is yes. The object is to make a profitable investment of capital. The Raglan estate is chiefly an agricultural estate, but there is a great deal of woodland on the Tintern estate, and both properties are in the near neighbourhood of the Crown estates of Dean Forest and Highmeadow.
§ MR. FLAVINWill the right hon. Gentleman say what advantage this estate has over the Herbert estate at Killarney that Government money should be used in purchasing it?
§ SIR M. HICKS-BEACHWe have no reason to suppose that the Killarney estate would be a profitable investment.