Mr. TYSON WILSONasked the President of the Board of Trade if he can state the present position of the case in which the Crown is claiming its rights to the foreshore at Sea View, Isle of Wight; whether he is aware that the case has been dragging on for a considerable time, and that people have been deprived of their means of livelihood by the action of a private individual; and whether he can hold out any hope of the matter being speedily settled?
Mr. RUNCIMANSince the reply given to a similar question on the 17th June last, considerable progress has been made in this case, but the ancient documents on which the case depends are very numerous, and the examination of them has necessarily occupied much time. The list of the documents involved extends over sixty pages and some of them date back as much as seven centuries. I can only repeat the assurance already given that, so far as the Board of Trade are concerned there will be no avoidable delay in prosecuting the action.