Mr. CATHCART WASONasked the President of the Board of Agriculture how many small holdings and how many allotments have been established under the provisions of the Small Holdings and Allotments Act, 1908; the average annual Cost incurred by his Department in respect of the same; and the cost to the county and parish councils, respectively?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANUp to the 31st December, 1912, 10,192 small holdings had been actually established under the Act of 1908, and the number of allotments provided under that Act was approximately 28,000, covering 7,766 acres. The average annual cost incurred by the Board in the administration of the Act during the last five years is £41,200, but I should explain that the greater part of this amount represents expenses incurred by county councils, which are repaid by the Board; the salaries and expenses of the Board's staff amount to approximately £12,000 a year, but some members of the staff devote part of their time also to other duties. I am unable to state the cost incurred by the local authorities concerned; the Act requires such cost to be recouped out of the rents received for the small holdings and allotments.