HC Deb 26 July 1916 vol 84 cc1825-6

The Board shall, in relation to any land acquired by them under this Act or under Part I of the Development and Road Improvement Funds Act, 1909, whether acquired before or after the passing of this Act, have power—

  1. (a) to let or manage the land or improve the same by the erection of buildings or otherwise;
  2. (b) to enfranchise the land, and to purchase or redeem any land tax, quit rent, chief rent, tithe rent-charge, or other rent-charge or any perpetual sum issuing out of the land;
  3. (c) subject to compliance with any conditions prescribed by the Treasury, or with the consent of the Treasury, to sell or exchange the land.

Mr. ACLAND: I beg to move, at the end of the Clause, to add the words, "and so that the purchase money on the sale of a small holding to a person willing himself to cultivate the holding may be made payable in periodical instalments or otherwise as the Treasury may direct.

(2) Where a small holding is sold by the Board under this Act the provisions of section twelve of the Small Holdings and Allotments Act, 1908, relating to a small holding sold by a county council under that Act shall apply as if herein re-enacted with the necessary adaptations."

This Amendment is designed to meet, so far as possible, the point raised by the right hon. Gentleman the Member for the Bordesley Division (Mr. Jesse Collings).

Major WEDGWOOD

On a point of Order, Mr. Maclean. I handed in an Amendment this afternoon to leave out paragraph (b). It seems to me that the right hon. Gentleman is now dealing with an Amendment to paragraph (c). I put it to you that my Amendment should be taken first?

The DEPUTY-CHAIRMAN

I cannot find the Amendment.

Major WEDGWOOD

You will realise that I have not had a chance of seeing this Bill before to-day. I handed in the Amendment to the Clerks at the Table before seven p.m. I suppose it will have been sent to the printers to be printed for to-morrow. But it is wanted to-day. I am not responsible for the arrangements at the Table.

The DEPUTY-CHAIRMAN

I call upon the hon. and gallant Member.

Major WEDGWOOD: I beg to move to leave out paragraph (b).

This is an expenditure of capital money. We all know that the enfranchisement of copyhold land costs a good deal of money—

It being Eleven o'clock, the Chairman left the Chair to make his Report to the House.

Committee report Progress; to sit again To-morrow.