44. Captain TERRELLasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture whether his attention has been called to the circumstances in which Mr. T. R. Burges, who has been farming 330 acres at Sutton Bridge, in Lincolnshire, for the past 23 years, has been dispossessed of his tenancy; is he aware that the farm occupied by Mr. Burges was recently sold to the Ministry of Agriculture by the Governors of Guy's Hospital without opportunity being given to the tenant of purchasing his holding or offering an increased rental; that a new lease for 10 years was signed and sealed on 10th January, 1919, and assurance was given recently by the Governors of Guy's Hospital that, when the Ministry took over the land, the conditions attaching to the tenancy would be observed; that in January of this year an official of the Ministry saw Mr. Burges and told him that, unless he agreed to quit the farm on 25th March, a period subsequently extended to Michaelmas, he would be given 14 days' notice to quit; and whether, seeing that Mr. Burges had provided land for two ex-soldiers, the Ministry of Agriculture will reconsider the whole matter?
Sir A. BOSCAWENThe Ministry have acquired, for the purposes of a farm settlement, the whole of the Guy's Hospital Estate consisting of 6,542 acres, and including the farm referred to by my hon. Friend. A large number of approved ex-service applicants are waiting to be settled on the land, and the Ministry have accordingly come to voluntary arrangements with certain of the sitting tenants with a view to obtaining vacant possession of parts of the estate at an early date. In the case of Mr. Burges, who, I am informed, holds land elsewhere and does not live on this farm, the Ministry have asked him whether he is prepared to negotiate voluntarily for the surrender of his lease at Michaelmas, 1920, as otherwise they will be obliged to exercise their compulsory powers in order to obtain possession of his farm.
§ Mr. ROYCEHas not Mr. Burges, assuming he is displaced, a right to make an appeal for compensation?
Sir A. BOSCAWENHe will get full compensation, under Section 2 of the Act, 1244 if possession is entered upon in the summary manner contemplated. That is already provided for.