§ Lord HENRY CAVENDISH-BENTINCKasked the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that at a meeting of the Royal Sanitary Institute, held at Doncaster on the 23rd November, the opinion was generally expressed, in view of the rapid development of the coalfield in that area, that the ordinary town-planning procedure would hardly meet the case, and that the needs of the district demand special intervention of the Government with some simpler and more expeditious method which will protect the area by a general allocation of open spaces, limit the number of houses per acre, and regulate the settlement of the main lines of traffic; and whether he intends to intervene with the object of making special provision for this rapidly developing area?
§ Mr. BURNSI have not seen a full report of the proceedings, but I gather from a brief report which I have seen that1298W some such opinion as that quoted was expressed, but I cannot myself see any reason why the provisions of the Housing, Town Planning, etc., Act should not meet the needs of the particular case. It is very regrettable that so much time has already been lost, but I hope that the local authorities concerned are now becoming alive to the need for immediate action in the direction of the preparation of schemes. I am anxious to expedite matters as much as possible and will gladly consider any suggestions to this end that may be made.