SMALL HOLDINGS AND ALLOTMENTS BILL [H.L.] (Hansard, 17 March 1908)

§ EARL CARRINGTON
This is simply a Consolidation Bill on the same lines as the Bill to which your Lordships have just given a Second Reading; and I take this opportunity of thanking my noble friend for the support he has promised to give His Majesty's Government in the passing of these two Bills. Of course, I am entirely in the hands of the House. I would most earnestly endorse the hope of my noble friend that no new matter will be introduced into these Bills, as that would be absolutely fatal to their passing. I trust my noble friend will expedite any improvements he may think fit to suggest, as these Bills are really necessary, and it is of the greatest importance that they should be passed into law at the earliest possible moment.

THE EARL OF ONSLOW
Perhaps the noble Earl will allow me to communicate with him as to the date on which the next stage should be taken.

§ EARL CARRINGTON
nodded assent.

§ LORD BELPER
My Lords, before the Second Reading is agreed to I should like to take the opportunity of thanking the noble Earl for introducing a Bill consolidating the enactments with respect to small holdings and allotments. This is a matter which was pressed on the Government by the County Councils Association, and it will be of great advantage to those who have to administer the Acts to have them consolidated in one measure. There is one point to which I should like to call attention, and, although it is a drafting Amendment, I think it is one of some importance. The House may remember that when the Small Holdings Bill was in Committee I called attention to the fact that, although the county council was the initiatory authority for bringing the Act into force, its name did not appear at all until you got a considerable way down the Bill—namely, to Clause 3; and it was only then introduced by an Amendment giving county councils power to make a scheme. I criticised that because it seemed to me that when 345 you were passing a Bill which was given in charge of the county councils, it was an extraordinary way to draft the Bill to start off with the Commissioners who were to force the county councils, in case they did not do their duty, while the county councils themselves were not mentioned at all except in a subsection half-way down the Bill. It was only in that way that we found out that they were the authority who had to deal with the Act. I only refer to it now because I have to thank the noble Earl for making an alteration which puts the county council in its proper position in regard to the Act. The first clause now provides that the county councils may, if they are of opinion that there is a demand for small holdings, put the Act in operation. Although only a drafting Amendment, I think in the circumstances it is one which I have been justified in detaining the House in alluding to, especially as it was a point to which attention was called at the time. By this Consolidation Bill the matter is now made perfectly clear.