§ 49. Mr. Bingasked the Minister of Agriculture what action he proposes to take following upon the application made to him by a number of commoners of Tyler's Common, Upminster, to convene a meeting in accordance with Section 1 of the Commons Act, 1908, to make regulations for the turning out of animals on the common.
§ Mr. ChampionMy right hon. Friend has invited the applicants, through their solicitors, to supply him with further information. This has now been received and is being examined. No decision to summon a meeting will, however, be taken in any event until the Essex County Council have had a reasonable time in which to carry out their expressed intention of investigating the existence of the alleged rights of common.
§ Mr. BingIs my hon. Friend aware that the Essex County Council have had over a year to carry out this examination, and that they have illegally enclosed this common and let it to one of their members? Will my hon. Friend see that immediate and further support is given to the commoners to show a far greater interest in and observation of the law than Essex County Council?
§ Mr. ChampionMy right hon. Friend will, of course, consider the representations of my hon. and learned Friend.
§ Mr. BingIs my hon. Friend aware that more than two months ago full evidence was submitted to the Essex County Council, including photostats of the rolls of the manor, showing that from all the evidence available this was a public common?
§ Mr. ChampionAs far as my right hon. Friend is concerned a meeting under the 1908 Act would almost certainly prove abortive, or at least premature, while any dispute of the right of common exists and it would not be possible to summon a meeting until they have satisfied themselves about the existence of common rights.