Mr. TYSON WILSONasked the President of the Board of Trade whether any substantial progress has been made in the establishment of the rights of the Crown to the foreshore at Seaview, Isle of Wight; and whether there is any prospect of it being settled within a reasonable period?
Mr. BUXTONThe defendants have till 19th December to enable them to complete their investigations to reply to the Crown's Information and Interrogatories. When the Answers are filed, the next step will be the examination of the documents disclosed, which would be begun without delay. As I have already informed my hon. Friend, the alleged title of the defendants goes back many centuries, and it is impossible for me to say at present when the case is likely to be settled. Proceedings of this nature, involving questions of ancient title, generally take a considerable time.