HC Deb 19 December 1919 vol 123 cc942-3

Notwithstanding anything contained in paragraph (c) of Sub-section (3) of Section twenty-six of the Act of 1911, or in the reference to that paragraph' in Sub-section (4) of the said Section, a person may be held, as from and after the commencement of this Act, an existing yearly tenant or a qualified leaseholder, and shall be admissible to registration as a new holder under the Act of 19i, in respect of land within the Parliamentary, police, or municipal boundary of any burgh or police burgh situate in the counties of Argyll, Inverness, Ross and Cromarty, Suterland, Caithness, and Orkney and Shetland.

Lords Amendment: Leave out the words may be held, as from and after the commencement of this Act, an existing yearly tenant or a qualified leaseholder, and.

Mr. MUNRO

I beg to move, "That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment."

I would like to explain the exact meaning of this Amendment, which deals with land suitable for small holdings within burghs. Under the Bill as it stands, Clause 14 stereotypes all existing small holdings in burghs, under whatever circumstances these circumstances may have been constituted. The proposal made in another place would be to make available in every burgh the land which is so occupied for small holdings, and to leave it to the Board to determine whether or not the land should be so used. In other words, according to the Bill as it stands, these small holdings are automatically stereotyped, however they may have been constituted when originally constructed, whereas the proposal now made is that it should be remitted to the Board to consider the particular circumstances of each of these small holdings in the burghs. If the Board thinks it proper that there should be a small holding, then there will be a small holding, but if, on the other band, the Board thinks it inappropriate, it will refuse permission to consecrate the ground as a small holding. I submit that in the public interest the latter is the fairer arrangement, and the House will observe that no existing right is in any way disturbed, the whole matter being committed to the fair discretion of the Board of Agriculture.

Ordered That a Committee be appointed to draw up reasons to be assigned to the Lords for disagreeing with certain of their Amendments to the Bill.

Committee nominated of Mr. Munro, Major M'Kenzie Wood, Mr. W. Graham, Dr. Murray, and Captain Elliot.

Three to be the quorum.

To withdraw immediately. —[Mr. Munro.]