§ MR. ALDEN (Middlesex, Tottenham)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether the Commissioners of His Majesty's Woods, Forests, and Land Revenues have still unlet a large grass farm and land of over 1,000 acres in the Isle of Sheppey; if so, whether a loss or profit has been made as a result of farming by the Crown receivers during the past year; and whether he will consider the advisability of handing over this farm to 1248 the Local Government Board with a view to experiments on behalf of the unemployed.
§ MR. J. A. PEASE (Essex, Saffron Walden, for Mr. MCKENNA)The Crown land in the Isle of Sheppey referred to is at present unlet, but negotiations are proceeding for letting parts of it. The farm account for the farm year ended on 31st ultimo has not yet been made up, but that for the year which ended on 31st October, 1905 (including the usual valuations of the stock, produce, etc., on the farm as at that date) showed a substantial surplus. The Commissioners of Woods have no power to hand over land to the Local Government Board free of rent.