§ Mr. ALFRED KINGasked the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, how many applications for small holdings have been made to the Cheshire County Council; how many of the applicants have been approved as suitable tenants; what is the total acreage applied for, and the acreage required to supply the requirements of the suitable applicants; how many applicants have been supplied and with what acreage; how many applications have been refused on the ground that the land-owner has refused to enter into a voluntary agreement; and what steps are being taken to meet such cases by the application of the compulsory clauses of the Act?
§ Sir EDWARD STRACHEYTwo hundred and sixty-nine applications for 5,766 acres have been received, and 177 of them for 4,159 acres have been approved. Forty-six applicants have been supplied with 933 acres. The county council ha3 not found it necessary as yet to put into force their compulsory powers owing to any refusal by land-owners to supply the land required.
§ Mr. ALFRED KINGasked the hon. Member for South Somerset whether he is aware that in March, 1908, John Oldfield, of Lane Side, Rainow, near Macclesfield, applied to the Cheshire County Council for a small holding on land adjoining his dwelling; that the amount of land he asked 2278W for was 2 acres, 700 yards, out of a farm of 74 acres; that this plot of land is on a hillside 800 feet above sea level, on an outlying part of the farm, and is by no means of such good quality as the greater part of the farm land; that he has nevertheless offered 32s. per acre, whereas the whole farm is let at an average of 27s. per acre; that there is no other farm of over 50 acres within one mile of the applicant's dwelling; that the owner has declined to let the farm to the county council for the purposes of a small holding, and that the county council have informed the applicant that that is the end of the matter, and have refused to put in force the compulsory clauses of the Act; and what steps do the Board of Agriculture propose to take in the matter?
§ Sir EDWARD STRACHEYWe are making inquiry into this matter, but I am not at present able to say what action, if any, it will be desirable to take. I will let my hon. Friend know when our inquiries are completed.