§ 62. Mr. Rileyasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies approximately the number of smallholders who have been settled on land in Jamaica by Government initiative since 1938; the cost and extent of the land acquired; the terms regarding repayment of loans by the cultivators; and whether these land settlements have resulted in increased production and prosperity?
§ Colonel StanleyThe report on the Jamaica Lands Department for 1942–43 has not yet reached me. Up to 31st March, 1942, 16,104 smallholders had been allotted settlements, covering an area of 75,590 acres, acquired at a cost of £518,930. The report does not state how many of these smallholders had been settled since 1938. A deposit of 10 per cent. of the purchase price is payable in advance by settlers; the balance is payable by instalments over a period of 10 years. The initial deposit is waived in necessitous cases. There has been steady progress in agricultural development on the settlements.