Mr. SILVESTER HORNEasked what progress has been made during the past year in carrying out the provisions of the Small Holdings Act in the county of Suffolk?
§ Sir E. STRACHEYDuring the past year 207 acres of land in Suffolk have been purchased and 71 acres hired. The total area already acquired is 1,351 acres.
§ Mr. MORRELLHow many applicants have been satisfied?
§ Sir E. STRACHEYUp to the present 139 have been satisfied and there still remain 63 unsatisfied.
§ Mr. MORRELLasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether his attention has been called to the fact that after an application had been made by the parish council of South Manton, in Wilts, for an order to purchase ten acres of land compulsorily under the Small Holdings Act, and an inquiry had been held by the Board of Agriculture on the subject, with the result that the application was not granted, four of the men who had been prominent at this inquiry, including the chairman and vice-chairman of the parish council and two other applicants for land, received notice to quit the cottages in which they lived, and all of them except one, who was successful in getting another cottage in the village, were compelled to leave the village in which they had lived all their lives and seek homes elsewhere; whether the Board ever investigated the circumstances under which these men left the village; if so, whether there is any reason to suppose that all or any of the notices to quit were due to political reasons; and whether the Board proposes to take any further action in the matter?
§ Sir E. STRACHEYA full investigation into this matter was made by the Board, from which it appeared that in one case it was admitted by the landlord, who 876 is Clerk to the Parish Council, that notice to quit was given on account of his tenant's action in connection with the allotments inquiry and his political activity. In the other cases it was denied that the notices were given on political grounds. The landlords acted within their legal rights and the Board have no power to take any action in the matter, I regret to say.
§ Mr. MORRELLDid there appear to be no reason in the other three cases other than the presence of the tenants at this inquiry for their losing their cottages?
§ Sir E. STRACHEYI must ask the hon. Member to give me notice of that.
§ Mr. WEDGWOODWill the hon. Baronet give us the name of the landlord?
§ Sir E. STRACHEYYes, Mr. Snook.
§ Mr. WEDGWOODrose to put a further question.
§ Mr. SPEAKERI must ask the hon. Member to give himself the trouble to put down any further questions. If they are at all important they should be put on the paper. If they are not important they should not be asked.
§ Mr. WEDGWOODrose again.
§ Mr. SPEAKERWill the hon. Gentleman please put his question down?