§ Sir FORTESCUE FLANNERY(by Private Notice) asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether the attention of the Government has been called to the further purchases by a foreign syndicate of land in a highly strategic position on the east coast of Essex, in the immediate neighbourhood of the Admiralty base at Osier Island; whether the former purchases have been in any way controlled, by the Government; and whether the recent purchases effected within the last few days of about 1,200 acres in the immediate neighbourhood of the River Blackwater have been sanctioned by the Government, and whether an official inquiry is to be made before the purchase is completed; and whether steps will be taken for the protection of these strategic positions, and whether they are not of the very first importance, abutting upon the deep water channels connected with the North Sea?
§ Mr. PROTHEROI do not know of any further purchases of land by the syndicate to which I think my hon. Friend refers beyond those mentioned in my reply to his question on the 9th of April last. As I then informed him, those purchases had been brought to the notice of the War Office. I understand that they have since been brought to the notice of the Admiralty. Both these Departments are doubtless taking any steps that may be dictated from the point of view of strategic safety. I am informed by the solicitors to the County Farms and Land Company, Limited, which is the syndicate referred to, that the chairman is Mr. Christopher Turnor, and that the other directors are the hon. Member for the Wilton Division, Mr. C. L. Hansen (president of the Danish Bacon Company), Mr. George Kryn, and Captain Alfred Loewenstein, C.B. All are shareholders in the company.
§ Sir F. FLANNERYIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that this further purchase has been arranged within the last four or five days, that it has been arranged by Mr. Loewenstein on behalf of the syndicate, and that any member of the syndicate—not the members referred to 1054 by him, but any member—may alienate his share of the purchase at any future date if he chooses, and will he bring this matter specially before the notice of the Government and so give the House satisfaction upon it?
§ Mr. PROTHEROIt is quite evident that a question of that kind following on a question of which I have had notice only about three hours ago, is impossible to answer, but the facts stated by the hon. Member shall be brought to the attention of the Government.
§ Mr. PRINGLEWill not the right hon. Gentleman see that this syndicate goes before the Advisory Committee on Aliens?