HC Deb 18 May 1909 vol 5 cc226-7
Mr. STANLEY WILSON

asked the Prime Minister if his attention has been drawn to the fact that Mr. E. Clark, a tenant farmer on Crown property at Welwick village, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, has surrendered his holding of 370 acres on the instruction of the President of the Board of Agriculture, acting as a Commissioner of Woods and Forests, in order to provide land for small holdings; whether he is aware that Mr. Clark occupied the farm for 11 years prior to its purchase by the Crown five years ago; what compensation has been paid; and whether the Government proposes to introduce a Bill to meet such cases?

Sir E. STRACHEY

My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. The President of the Board is well aware of all the circumstances of the case. Mr. Clark, who farms other land in the district, has not resided on the farm in question, but has managed it through a bailiff, and as there was a large demand for small holdings in the locality the Crown offered this bye-take of a farm to the county council for sub-division. Mr. Clark has no legal claim for compensation for disturbance, but in view of certain losses which he alleges to have sustained I have already communicated with the Treasury as to some allowance being made him.

Mr. STANLEY WILSON

Can private land-owners treat a tenant farmer in the same way as the Crown has treated this particular gentleman?

Sir E. STRACHEY

I think it is very often the practice for the land-owner when the tenant occupies another farm, in which he lives, as this gentleman does, of 367 acres, to say it is desirable that there should be an occupying tenant on his other farms three or four miles off, and most hon. Members will agree who know anything about farms, that the absentee farmer is as bad, if not worse, than the absentee landlord.

Mr. STANLEY WILSON

Did not this farmer intend to put his son on this farm in a year or two?

Sir E. STRACHEY

I do not know anything about that.

Mr. E. J. SOARES

Out of what fund are these allowances going to be made? Will there be a Supplementary Estimate?

Sir E. STRACHEY

No; not that I am aware of.

Mr. SOARES

Then out of what fund are they payable?

Sir E. STRACHEY

I must have notice of that question.

Mr. STANLEY WILSON

Will the hon. Gentleman answer the last part of my question, which is whether the Government propose to introduce legislation to meet such cases? It is a great hardship.

Sir E. STRACHEY

I think that question ought to be put to the Prime Minister.

Mr. STANLEY WILSON

May I be allowed, Mr. Speaker, to put that question to the Prime Minister?

The PRIME MINISTER (Mr. Asquith)

There is no intention to introduce legislation.