HC Deb 26 June 1925 vol 185 cc1967-70
Captain BOURNE

I beg to move, in page 5, line 35, to leave out the words "situated in the area of a local authority," and to insert instead thereof the words "provided by the council of a borough or urban district."

In many cases, an urban district prefers allotments outside its own local government area strictly speaking, and, because the allotments committee and the council have to look after those allotmens, it is desirable that this Amendment should be made.

Mr. LOOKER

I beg to second the Amendment.

Amendment agreed to.

Colonel WEDGWOOD

I beg to move, in page 5, line 36, to leave out the word "five' and to insert instead thereof the word "three."

I am simply asking that the number of allotments in any urban area requiring a local authority to set up an allotments committee shall be altered from 500 to 300. I have had an answer from the right hon. Gentleman, who explained that there were already 203 urban authorities with allotment committees, and the total number of authorities that would come under the Clause as it stands would be 211, so that it would add eight to the number of local authorities that would have allotment committees. I understand the Minister is willing to accept 400 instead of 500, and I shall, therefore, subsequently ask leave to move to insert "four hundred" instead of "three hundred."

Amendment negatived.

Further Amendments made:

In page 5, line 36, leave out the word "five," and to insert instead thereof the word "four."—[Colonel Wedgwood.]

In page 5, lines 36 and 37, leave out the words and are obtained under this or any other Act.

In page 5, line 38, leave out the word "any", and insert instead thereof the word "the."—[Captain Bourne.]

Mr. LOOKER

I beg to move, in page 5, line 40, to leave out Sub-section (2).

In Section 24 of the Act of 1922 power is given to a council, either borough or urban, that they "shall" establish an allotment committee, which may be an existing committee of the council, or a sub-committee of an existing committee. This Amendment turns on the right to preserve the sub-committee of an existing committee. This power is one which is considered very desirable by the local committees and enables them to deal with allotments far more effectively than they could if they had to appoint a new committee or if the sub-committee had to report to a central committee. The effect of the present Act is that the sub-committee so appointed shall be the allotment committee, and that is a position which it is very much desired to preserve. This matter came before Committee upstairs, and on it the Chairman gave, a easting vote.

Mr. WOMERSLEY

I beg to second the Amendment.

Captain BOURNE

We propose to accept this Amendment.

Amendment agreed to.