§ MR. JESSE COLLINGSI beg to ask the hon. Member for the Barnstaple 471 Division as representing the Charity Commissioners, if he will state how much charity land, in how many allotments, has been let to the labouring classes under the Allotments Extension Act, 1882.
§ MR. SOARES (Devonshire, Barnstaple)The Charity Commissioners are anxious that charity land should be let in allotments whenever it is desired, and in all recent cases whore complaints have been made to them they have taken steps to see that the Allotments Extension Act, 1882, should be carried out, but they have not found it practicable with the limited staff at their command, to require from the trustees of every charity which is subject to the Act particulars of the extent and number of the allotments let under its provisions. They are therefore not in possession of the information asked for by the right hon. Member.
§ MR. JESSE COLLINGSCannot the hon. Gentleman get the information?
§ MR. SOARESI am afraid that to communicate to all trustees of charity lands would involve the expenditure of a great deal of time and money.
§ MR. ESSEXDoes the Act referred to in the Question place any difficulty in the way of thus dealing with charity lands?
§ MR. SOARESNo, Sir.