§ Sir B. FALLEasked the Minister of Agriculture if the Mole and the Imber are claimed as belonging to the riparian owners, and leave to boat, etc., must be 1632W obtained; if the mills on these, two streams very largely account for overflows; and who is it that receives payment for ballast now being taken out of the Mole at a price of 20s. per yard?
§ Sir R. SANDERSThe Ministry of Agriculture has no information as to the point referred to in the first part of the hon. Member's question, but, as a rule, riparian owners own the bed of a riverad medum filum. With regard to the second part of the question, the Ministry is aware that there are mills on the Mole and Imber with weirs and sluices which are inadequate for the proper discharge of flood water. As regards the last point, the Ministry is informed that two riparian owners are dredging mud and ballast from the river where it adjoins their respective properties, and that the contractor doing the work is selling the ballast to local builders.