§ MR. MANSFIELDTo ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been drawn to the statements made at a recent meeting of the Cornwall County Council that the Council had not been able to provide allotments owing to the opposition of the Local Government Board; and whether, seeing that in the St. Clears district of the county there is land now uncultivated suitable for allotments, he will explain why the Local Government Board has refused to sanction the application for allotments in Cornwall, and take steps to assist the Cornwall County Council to provide allotments and small holdings.
(Answered by Mr. Walter Long.) My attention has not been drawn to the statements referred to. I am aware that in two cases, in each of which the County Council had made an order authorising a parish council to hire land compulsorily for allotments, adverse memorials were presented to the Local Government Board, who, after inquiry, found themselves unable to confirm the orders. In both cases it appeared that, apart from other difficulties, the letting of the proposed allotments in the manner contemplated would have involved a contravention of the statutory provisions. Moreover, in one of them, permanent pasture land would have been broken up, and it was not shown that suitable land for allotments could not be hired by agreement on reasonable terms. I am, however, quite ready to consider any application which may be made to me to exercise any powers I possess in relation to allotments or small holdings in Cornwall, and to exercise such powers if it is shown that in the circumstances of the particular case I can properly do so.