§ Mr. GINNELLasked whether delay in completing purchase transactions under the Land Purchase Acts is caused by lack 388 of money or by official slowness due to the knowledge possessed by a large staff that their occupation is essentially temporary; and is there in operation in the Estates Commissioners' offices any system of measuring output by the number of titles investigated, the number of documents examined, the number of estates or agreements dealt with, and recognition of abundant and correct work as distinguished from small and defective work?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThere is no ground for the suggestion that the officials of the Land Commission work slowly because the appointments of many of them are temporary. Any delays which may occur are due not to want of money, which has hitherto been advanced as required, or to the lack of official zeal, but to the magnitude of the work of land purchase. The Land Commission are in a position at any time to ascertain the number of titles, estates, and agreements dealt with by their examiners and other officers.