§ Sir K. WOODasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture whether his attention has been called to the dissatisfaction existing among allotment-holders at Dun Street, Swinton, through the failure of the owner of a wall at the allotments to have it repaired; whether he is aware that in consequence of the state of disrepair a considerable area is rendered unfit for cultivation and the allotment-holders suffer considerable loss through trespass upon the plots, and in consequence a number of them are giving up the allotments; and whether he will take further steps to induce the 216W owner to have the wall repaired, and thus prevent the waste of cultivable land and the discouragement to the plot-holders?
Sir A. BOSCAWENYes, Sir; my attention was drawn to such a case at Swinton, Yorkshire, and the Ministry made every effort to induce the owner of the wall in question to repair it. There is, however, no power to force the owner of the wall to keep it in repair. The allotment society are, I am informed, responsible, under the agreement under which they hold the land from the urban district council, to bear the cost of all fencing, repairs, etc., and it would seem that if the society wish to keep out trespassers they must erect the necessary fencing.