HC Deb 16 November 1908 vol 196 cc865-6
MR. ROGERS (Wiltshire, Devizes)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that at an inquiry recently held at Durrington, by the Wiltshire Small Holdings Committee, to consider applications for land from persons resident in Bulford, Durrington, Figheldean, and Netheravon, all parishes situate on the War Office estate, the amount of land offered by the War Office for this purpose was 120 acres, whereas the acreage applied for was 1,500, thirty acres out of the 120 moreover being unsuitable and unreasonably rented; and whether, seeing that the War Office is the sole owner of land in these parishes, he will cause a larger supply of more suitable land to be placed at the disposal of the landholding associations formed there under the Act of 1907 to assist suitable applicants to obtain small holdings.

MR. HALDANE

After a conference with the Wiltshire County Council in the early part of the year at which the whole question was very fully discussed, it was decided that the 140 acres in question (not 120 as stated) were the only land which, consistently with military requirements, could be spared for small holdings. The War Department gave instructions that the rent should not be in excess of a fair agricultural rent and is willing to consider any representations on the particular case mentioned.

MR. ROGERS

asked whether the right hon. Gentleman would realise that, as the War Office owned all the land in the valley, any grant of land for small holdings must come from them.

MR. HALDANE

That is very well, but I absolutely must have land for manœuvres, and you can no more have small holdings in the middle of a military area than you can have them in the middle of London.

MR. ROGERS

But is it not the fact that there is a good deal of unlet land which would be suitable for small holdings?

MR. HALDANE

said the matter had been gone into with the utmost desire to find as much land as possible for small holdings. It had been gone into not only by generals, but by people who were as keen about small holdings as his hon. friend.