§ Mr. CHARLES BATHURSTasked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether negotiations are in progress for the sale of three acres of Crown foreshore at Llanelly to Richard Thomas and Company, Limited, tinplate manufacturers; whether the price of such land demanded by the Crown is £480, with the further proviso that all minerals and substrata are to be reserved to the Crown and that no reduction is to be allowed in the rent payable in respect of premises which include the above land under a lease granted by the Crown to Sir Arthur Stepney, deceased, and now vested in Richard Thomas 616W and Company, Limited, subject moreover to the purchasers bearing the whole cost of conveyance and surveyor's charges; whether such ground was reclaimed from the sea and entirely made by the tipping of refuse from their works by the said Richard Thomas and Company, Limited, and their predecessors in title; and how, under the above circumstances, the price of £160 per acre demanded by the Crown has been arrived at?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANAt the request of Messrs. Thomas and Company the Commissioner of Woods offered to sell the land at the price and on the conditions stated in the hon. Member's question. Messrs. Thomas and Company have enjoyed the advantage of being allowed to tip on the land offered and on other foreshore land (of greater extent) for some years under the Crown lease mentioned, and it is considered that the rent reserved by the lease will not be more than reasonable for the area that will remain held under it after the sale. The price was fixed on the advice of a surveyor well acquainted with the locality as the reasonable value. The Commissioner has no desire to press the sale, and only made the offer in deference to the urgent request of Messrs. Thomas and Company.