§ 36. Mr. RENDALLasked the President of the Board of Agriculture what steps the Board of Agriculture proposes to take to ensure that land acquired for the purposes of allotments by county and urban authorities shall be used for that purpose and no other; and, if the Board of Agriculture has no power to compel local authorities to let land to properly registered co-operative land societies, whether it is intended to introduce legislation with a view to amending the Small Holdings and Allotments Acts so as to make it impossible for a district council or other local authority to act in such a manner as the Cheshunt Urban District Council has lately done?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of AGRICULTURE (Mr. Runciman)Land acquired by local authorities for the purposes of allotment cannot be used for any other purpose except, with the consent of the Board of Agriculture, on its being established that land so acquired is not needed for that purpose or that some more suitable land is available. The Board have no power to compel local authorities to let land to co-operative societies, and no circumstances have as yet been brought to my notice which appear to render it necessary to introduce legislation to amend the law in order to give special facilities to such bodies.
§ Mr. MORRELLHave the Board of Agriculture power to declare a council in default and to refuse to let land to a society which requires land?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANNo, I do not think we would have the power to declare a county council in default if they refuse to let to a society so long as it lets to somebody.
§ Mr. MORRELLWould not the fact that the society was an applicant, be the case that of the county council or district council, show that it had not acquired land?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI would prefer to have a specific case brought to my notice before expressing any opinion.
§ 37. Mr. RENDALLasked whether the Cheshunt Urban District Council during 1912 acquired a piece of land for the purposes of allotments; whether a number of men of the labouring class have applied for this land through the Cheshunt Land Club Co-operative Society, Limited, of which they are members, which society is 1034 duly registered and recognised by the Board of Agriculture; and if the urban district council refuses to let the land to the men through the society, although there are no other applicants, and in spite of the fact that recommendations that the land should be so let have been sent to the council by the Board of Agriculture, the Agricultural Organisation Society, His Majesty's allotments and small holdings commissioner for the district, and the Herts County Council.
§ Mr. RUNCIMANExcept that I am informed that two applications have been received from individuals for small portions of the land acquired for allotments by the Cheshunt Urban District Council, the facts appear to have been, so far, as stated by my hon. Friend; but I understand that the question whether or no the Cheshunt Land Club Co-operative Society will be able to obtain the use of the land referred to is not yet finally disposed of.