§ Mr. W. YOUNGasked the Prime Minister what progress has been made in England, Scotland, and Wales, respectively, to establish the colonies for discharged Service men provided for in the Small Holdings (Colonies) Act, 1916?
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§ Mr. BONAR LAWA colony of 2,360 acres is being established at Patrington, in the East Riding of Yorkshire. A director has been appointed, and forty-six cottages are now in course of erection. The Board of Agriculture obtain full possession of the land on the 6th of next month. Land for a second colony of 1,000 acres has been acquired at Holbeach, in Lincolnshire, and arrangements are now being made for the erection of sixty-six cottages. The site of a third colony of about 1,140 acres, which will make the total acreage allowed under the Act for England, is now being sought, and the Board hope to find it in the South or West of England, so as to secure some evenness in the geographical distribution of the three colonies in England.
A colony of about 1,500 acres will be set up in Wales, and the Welsh Agricultural Council have already selected two sites which have been inspected by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture preparatory to one of them being chosen for the colony.
As regards Scotland, the Board of Agriculture for Scotland have not yet selected the areas to be used for the purpose, but several subjects have been inspected and reported on, and the Board hope to reach an early decision regarding them.