§ Mr. BRODIEasked the hon. Member for South Somerset, whether the Board is aware that at Redhill, Westerham, and other places misunderstanding and disappointment have arisen owing to applicants for small holdings having formed registered land-holding societies under rules supplied by the 4ricultural Organisation Society, and approved by the Board Of Agriculture; whether, seeing that a member of such a society would, in case of obtaining land have, besides taking responsibility for his own rent and providing sufficient capital For cultivating his holding and further undertaking a joint responsibility for his fellow-members' rent, also to provide conjointly with his fellow-members six months' rent in advance, and that such an applicant is in a worse position than those applicants who apply as individuals, the Board will repay to the men the cost of having formed such societies when created under a misapprehension of the facts, and will instruct their inspectors to advise men to refrain from forming these societies except for co-operative business purposes until land has been definitely offered?
§ Sir E. STRACHEYThe Board regret that any disappointment or misunderstanding should have arisen on the part of any persons desirous of occupying land as small holders, but the Board themselves are not in any way responsible for it. They are unable to adopt the course suggested in the question, but conference either with the officers of the Agricultural Organisa 1374 tion Society or of the Board themselves might enable the difficulties which have arisen to be overcome.
§ Mr. PHILIP MORRELLMay I ask why the arrangements are not adopted which are suggested by my hon. Friend?
§ Sir E. STRACHEYBecause we cannot do so. We have no power to compel county councils to transfer land to land associations; they can only transfer to individuals.
§ Mr. MORRELLHave not the Board of Agriculture power, if they cannot compel the county councils to take this action, to direct their own commissioners to do so?.