Mr. H. SAMUELasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland what was the acreage of land in Ireland under arable cultivation in 1916 and in 1917; and what is now estimated to be the acreage in 1918?
§ Mr. DUKEThe extent of land ploughed in Ireland in the year 1916 amounted to 2,400,328 acres, and last year to 3,037,730 acres. I am not at present in a position to estimate the figures for this year. Under the new Tillage Orders, occupiers of holdings over 10 acres are required to till 15 per cent. more than the area tilled in 1916, and occupiers of 200 acres and over 20 per cent. more than in 1916.
§ Major NEWMANasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is satisfied that the Board of Agriculture is exercising the powers conferred on it under the Defence of the Realm Act; and, if so, will measures be taken, if at all possible, to prevent mob rule in the ploughing up and spoiling of grazing land and the driving and ill-treatment of cattle, in view of the shortage of meat that exists outside Ireland?
§ Mr. DUKEThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. During the operations under the Compulsory Tillage Scheme of 1917 local trouble occurred in only a few isolated cases. I have no reason to anticipate that the experience in connection with the scheme for this year will be less satisfactory.
§ Mr. LYNCHasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether, in estimating the amount of tillage required to be undertaken by landlords of estates in Ireland, he will take care that the tillage by tenants, as, for instance, in conacre plots, is not counted?
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§ Mr. DUKEUnder the Corn Production Act, 1917, the occupier of a holding is responsible for the cultivation of the prescribed proportion of his holding in 1918. He may have the necessary cultivation carried out directly, or may arrange for its being carried out indirectly, as, for example, by lettings under conacre agreements. If a landlord of an estate is the occupier the tillage carried out in the estate must be credited to him, but if the tenant is the occupier any tillage on the portion of the estate held by him must be credited to the tenant.
§ Mr. BYRNEasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if his attention has been drawn to the gambling in land for grazing and food-producing purposes; if he will take steps to fix the price of land that is required for food production; and if he will take steps to introduce a rent-fixing Clause for land required for plot holders?
§ Mr. DUKEI would refer the hon. Member to the concluding portion of an answer I gave to questions by the hon. Member for North Kildare on 21st January.
§ Colonel MEYSEY-THOMPSONasked the President of the Board of Agriculture, seeing that he recently declared that only one-ninth of the whole of the grass land of the country was required w be ploughed out, what steps are being taken to ensure that each holding shall be called upon to furnish its fair proportion of the total acreage required?
§ Mr. PROTHEROIt is the duty of the agricultural executive committee in each county to allocate the contributions to the area of grass land required to be ploughed by the county, the totals of which for all the counties amount to about one-ninth of the grass land of the country. In selecting grass land for ploughing the committees are expected to choose that which is most suited for arable cultivation. Consequently no fixed proportion for all holdings can be assigned, and the amount that may fairly be asked for from each occupier is left to be determined by the experience and local knowledge of the executive committees.
Colonel MEISEY-THOMPSONasked the President of the Board of Agriculture what steps he is taking to assure himself that the members of the war agricultural committees who are occupiers of land at e themselves ploughing out their due share of the land required?
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§ Mr. PROTHEROI have full confidence in the patriotism and the public spirit of the members of the agricultural executive committees, and am satisfied that there is no ground for any suggestion that any of them are evading their duty or failing to make their proper contribution to the increased food supply that is required. This being so, I do not propose to make any inquiries which might throw doubt on my confidence in them.
§ Captain A. SMITHasked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he is aware that the Lancashire War Executive Committee has granted to the governors of the Clitheroe Royal Grammar School a certificate exempting the old football field in Waterloo from cultivation; whether he is aware that it was taken for this purpose since the War began, that it is only used for a few hours in the winter months by a small number of children, and that there is land near the grammar school suitable for a playground but not fit for cultivation; whether he is aware that every inch of the ground has been applied for as allotments, and that the owner is in favour of its being cultivated; and whether he proposes to take any action in the matter?
§ Mr. PROTHEROInquiries have been made into this matter by the inspector of the Department, who recommends that the field in question should be taken for allotments. The town council have been informed accordingly, and the Board have written to the Lancashire Agricultural Executive Committee urging that they should give their sanction to-the proposal.
§ Lord H. CAVENDISH - BENTINCKasked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether instructions are being issued to war agricultural committees to secure the planting with potatoes of any definite proportion of the grass land already ploughed up and not sown, with a view to providing additional food for pigs; and, if so, what steps are being taken to obtain and distribute the necessary seed?
§ Mr. PROTHEROAgricultural executive committees are being asked to increase the area devoted to potatoes to the maximum possible, but the Board have not suggested the definite proportion of the newly broken grass land which should be devoted to that crop. The conditions vary so greatly in different counties that it is considered best to leave the matter to the2126W discretion of each agricultural executive committee. The Department do not anticipate that there will be any difficulty in procuring the necessary seed.
Mr. H. SAMUELasked the President of the Board of Agriculture what was the acreage of land in England and Wales under arable cultivation in 1916 and in 1917; and what is now estimated to be the acreage in 1918?
§ Mr. PROTHEROThe acreage of land in England and Wales under arable cultivation in 1916 was 11,051,101 acres, and in 1917 11,246,106 acres. No trustworthy figures can as yet be given of the probable area under tillage this summer.