§ MR. LEA (St. Pancras, E.)I beg to ask the Prime Minister, in view of the recent expulsion of one of his tenants by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for War for having exercised his legal rights under the Ground Game Act, whether he has yet obtained a confirmation of the facts alleged; if so, what action does he intend taking to protect the tenants of this noble landowner; and whether, in view of his recent speech on land reform, he proposes to permit this Member of the Government to continue to hold office.
§ * MR. REES (Montgomery Boroughs)Is the hon. Gentleman in order in bringing before the House the relations of an individual landlord with an individual tenant who has his remedy in the law courts?
§ THE PRIME MINISTER AND FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Sir H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN,) Stirling BurghsIt is no part of my duty, nor is it in my power, to protect any body of tenants from the landowner from whom they hold their tenancy, nor the landowner from his tenants. They have certain rights with regard to each other which are defined by the law, and the Prime Minister is not the Court to decide any dispute between them. I have received a letter from Lord Portsmouth, which I propose to read to the House. He says, "In reply to the allegations made against me, I would briefly state that the tenant in question, a Mr. Parsons, had truly been a tenant on my estate for many years; but he had only been enabled to occupy the farm so long because my father and I had from time to time given him very substantial assistance in abatements and remissions of rent. He was not given notice to quit for any bona fide, fair, and reasonable exercise of any rights under the Ground Game Act, but because, owing to his impecuniosity and absence of stock, the farm was rapidly deteriorating. As to the supposed grievance of loss from excessive ground game, the absurdity of such a statement is proved by the fact that, as soon as ever he quitted the farm, it was taken by the actually adjoining tenant at an increased rent." Lord Portsmouth adds that he has not an acre untenanted or a shilling of arrear upon his estate in Hampshire.
§ LORD R. CECIL (Marylebone, E.)Did not the letter of Lord Portsmouth contain these words, "If you or any other tenant insist upon your powers under the Game Act and constantly disturb the land in pursuit of ground game, I must at once and frankly say I must take the only remedy I possess of changing tenants or farming the land myself?" May I also ask the Prime Minister whether he is aware that the landlord thought it right not only to take into his own hands the improvements this tenant had made, but actually insisted on a claim for dilapidation for some of the improvements which the tenant himself had made?
§ SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANI am not aware of these facts. The letter 894 to which reference was made was written two or three years ago, and I am not acquainted with the circumstances in any respect; but I have read the letter Lord Portsmouth has written to me with reference to the actual position at this time.
§ MR. LEAMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman if he is aware that the tenant in question is in possession of a letter from the late Lord Portsmouth in which these words occur: "If every landlord had as good and straightforward and honourable a tenant as you are, a lot of landlords would be in a very different position." Is the right hon. Gentleman also aware that in the county of Hampshire this noble landowner —
* MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKERI do not think that is a supplementary Question which ought to be asked. The Prime Minister cannot be expected to have a knowledge of the correspondence between the late Lord Portsmouth and his tenants.
§ SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANIt is not any part of my duty to adjust rights and wrongs between a tenant and his landlord.
§ MR. WALTER LONGMay I remind the Prime Minister—[Cries of "Order"] then may I ask the right hon. Gentleman if in answer to a general Question the other day in this House he did not state that the Government were closely watching the operation of the Act to which reference had been made, and would be prepared to take action if any attempt were made to evade it?
§ SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANI am not aware that this comes under that category. I hardly think it does; but if it does, then when the case is settled one way or the other it will be a fact that we shall take into account in considering the effect of legislation.
§ LORD R. CECILWhen the Prime Minister said the letter was written two or three years ago was he aware that the tenant went out last Michaelmas?
§ SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANThe tenant's going out last Michaelmas does not prevent its being true that the letter was written two or three years ago.
CAPTAIN FABERIs that undesirable tenant now within a stone's throw on another landowner's property?
§ MR. FLAVINAs this is likely to become an historical subject, may I ask if the Prime Minister will inform the House how many tenants have been removed from the Scottish estates of Balfour and Co.?