47. Mr. De la Bèreasked the Minister of Agriculture the number of farm cottages completed but still standing unoccupied without tenants; and whether he will make better known to would-be tenants the procedure they must adopt with the war agricultural county committees to make them eligible as tenants for these cottages.
Mr. HudsonOf the 169 cottages completed by the 17th of last month, 123 were occupied at the end of the month. Agricultural workers eligible for tenancy of these cottages should look out for advertisements and other public announcements, or approach war agricultural executive committees direct. All possible steps are being taken by these committees, acting in collaboration with rural district councils, to make known the availability of the cottages.
Mr. De la BèreIs not the real problem the fact that would-be tenants are surrounded by forms? Are there not forms to the right of them and forms to the left of them—a deluge of forms? To what forms are these would-be tenants to go?
Mr. HudsonOne of the reasons for the gap between the completion of these houses and their occupation is the necessity of allowing the houses to dry out before they are occupied.