24. Major NEWMANasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether he can to date give the number of ex-Service men and men now serving who have applied for a grant of land; of these how many have been given land; what is the average acreage 24 of the farms allotted; are the occupiers owners or tenants; and what is the average yearly annuity or rent that is to be paid?
§ Mr. PROTHEROThree hundred and four applications in all have been received, 208 from discharged men and ninety-six from men still serving in His Majesty's Forces. Of the 208, thirty-six have up to the present been accepted as settlers under the schemes of the Small Holdings (Colonies) Act, 1916, subject to a period of probation. As a result of this requirement only five of the thirty-six men have so far actually become tenants of land. All five are at Holbeach; three have 5 acres, and the other two 10 acres, the rent being at the rate of £40 for a full 10-acre holding with house and buildings.
§ 63. Colonel Sir J. CRAIGasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is now in a position to give more precise information regarding the offer contained in the Proclamation of the Lord Lieutenant of land to Irishmen who voluntarily enlist?
§ Mr. SAMUELSI am not in a position to give the hon. and gallant Baronet any further information than is contained in the statement I made to the House in reply to several hon. Members last Tuesday.
§ Sir E. CARSONBefore this Proclamation was issued, was there any definite scheme drawn up by the Irish Government? May I press for an answer?
§ Mr. SAMUELSI must have notice of such a question.
§ Mr. PRINGLEAre we to understand that those engaged in retail trade in Ireland who are to get land are to be subject to a period of probation like settlers in England?
§ Sir J. CRAIGWhat answer is given by the recruiting officers to recruits who come forward now on the promise which is held out in the Proclamation?
§ Mr. SAMUELSI would ask my hon. and gallant Friend to put down a question of that kind. I am not aware of any application being made to the Irish Office in relation to it at present.
§ Sir E. CARSONDoes not the Proclamation constitute a direct promise to men who are recruited; and ought they not to be told what the specific promise is and how it is to be carried out? [Laughter.] This is not a joke.
§ Mr. SAMUELSI would ask my hon. and gallant Friend and my right hon. and learned Friend to give me notice of these questions.
§ Sir J. CRAIGAs I put this question on the Paper some ten days ago purposely to give the Irish Office an opportunity of making clear and definite what the Proclamation means with a view to satisfying those recruits who com© forward now, may I ask what answer is a recruit who comes forward and offers himself to get from a recruiting officer if the Government themselves do not know what is the meaning of their own Proclamation?
§ Mr. SAMUELSThere is to be a Debate next Tuesday, I understand, and this matter can then be gone into fully.
§ Sir J. CRAIGWhat about those recruits who come forward before next Tuesday?
§ Mr. PRINGLEWill they have a right of action for breach of promise against the Lord-Lieutenant if they do not get the land?
§ Sir E. CARSONYou ought not to trifle with Ireland.
§ 66. Mr. R. McNEILLasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland how many acres of untenanted land are available in Ireland for occupation by discharged soldiers, and in what counties such untenanted land is situate?
§ Mr. SAMUELSI am not in a position at present to add anything to the reply given to a question on this subject by the hon. and gallant Member for the Enfield Division last Thursday. Inquiries are being made, as I then stated.
§ 67. Mr. McNEILLasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, in view of His Excellency's Proclamation that the Government look almost entirely to the retail traders in the towns to furnish the necessary contingent of recruits for the Army, whether it is the intention of the Government to organise any systematic instruction in agriculture for these retail traders before settling them on the land, in pursuance of the inducement offered them to enlist?
§ Mr. SAMUELSThe answer is in the negative.
§ Mr. McNEILLWould it not be desirable that there should be some steps 26 taken; and will the Government consider whether some instruction is not desirable-before putting retail traders on the land?