§ Mr. FINNEYasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether his attention has been drawn to the case of Mrs. Finney, widow, farmer, Hollen Farm, High Lane, Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, who, under the Cultivation of Lands Order, 1917, received notice from the agricultural sub-committee of the county borough of Stoke-on-Trent requiring her to execute the cultivation necessary to bring certain grass lands on her farm into good arable cultivation, and requiring her to commence ploughing up of such lands within fourteen days from the date of the notice, which orders were carried out.; that, as the result of two years' failures, she has suffered loss amounting to over; whether the inspector called at the farm and reported to his executive; that she made application to the county agricultural committee for assistance, and received a reply that the matter could not be considered; that she was unaware that application must be made on or before 31st July, 1919; and whether he will cause inquiry to be made into the above case, with a view to some solatium being offered to this person?
Sir A. BOSCAWENThe facts stated in the first part of the question are believed to be correct. As regards the amount of the loss alleged to have been suffered, I am unable to express an opinion, as the claim was not received until after the expiration of the period in which such claims could be considered. In reply to the last part of the question, the Board could not, without creating an undesirable precedent, recommend the Treasury to authorise anex gratia payment in this case.