SIR WALTER FOSTERI beg to ask the Member for Tunbridge, as representing the Charity Commissioners, if he can state how the £530,898 obtained during the year 1900 by the sale of real property of charities is made up, giving the number of acres of land sold and the amount realised by the sale of house property, building land, and agricultural land separately.
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY CHARITY COMMISSIONER (Mr. GRIFFITH BOSCAWEN,) Kent, TunbridgeThe sum of £530,898 referred to by the hon. Member represents the aggregate amount produced by 302 sales of real property in the year 1900. About two-thirds of this total was realised by twenty-four sales, including that of the school for the indigent blind in Southwark for £140,000. The further particulars asked 972 for by the hon. Member could only be ascertained by a detailed analysis of the contents of the files of papers relating to each sale order, the preparation of which would require very considerable time and labour, and the materials for which are not in all cases in the office.
SIR WALTER FOSTERMay I ask whether the hon. Member will be willing to have a Return of the matter mentioned in the last paragraph of the question made?
§ MR. GRIFFITH BOSCAWENNo. The Commissioners cannot assent to such a Return, as it would involve the expenditure of much time and cause a diversion of part of the staff of the office from their regular duties.