§ Mr. MORRELLasked the hon. Member for South Somerset whether his attention has been called to the report of a meeting of the Hastings Town Council held on 2nd July, at which a letter from Mr. E. G. Cheney, containing a definite proposal from the Board of Agriculture for dealing with the demand for small holdings at Hastings, was read by the town clerk, and a resolution declining to act upon it was carried by 20 votes to 2; whether he is aware that no other proposal for satisfying this demand was brought before the council, and that Councillor Dr. Gray, in seconding the resolution, expressed the opinion that now that the Board had already written two letters, each containing different proposals, the council had only to wait for a third letter to be told that they were right in doing nothing at all; whether the Board are prepared to acquiesce in this decision of the town council; and, if not, whether he will now carry out the provisions of the Act by sending to the council a report from the Commissioners stating that it is desirable that a scheme should be made, so that, six months from that date, in case the council have still failed to take action, the Board may themselves be in a, position to carry out their own proposals?
§ Sir E. STRACHEYThe facts are as stated in the question. We are in communication with the town council on the subject, and I will let my hon. Friend know the outcome of our further representations.