Lieut.-Colonel BELLasked the Minister of Agriculture in regard to the case of Messrs. Lye, smallholders, of Wilcot, Devizes, Wilts, which case has already 60W been brought to his notice, if he is aware that the small holding in question, consisting of 47 acres, is rented at £142 per annum, whereas the farm out of which it and other small holdings was formed, and which consisted of 115 acres, was, previous to its purchase by the Wilts County Council, let for £130 per annum; and whether, in view of this and of the fact that this high rent affects the holders adversely, not only as regards rent, but also as regards rates and the great difficulty that smallholders are placed in owing to the prevailing agricultural depression, he will press the county council to materially reduce the assessment of this holding?
Sir A. BOSCAWENI understand that. the farm of 115 acres, to which my hon. and gallant Friend refers, was at the date of its purchase by the county council in September, 1919, let with other land, and I have no definite information as to the amount of rent which was being paid for this area. The Ministry was, however, advised at the rime of purchase that the rental value of the land was approximately £2 an acre. Before the property could be let in small holdings, it was necessary to provide for an expenditure of £1,591 on the erection of new buildings, repairs to existing cottages and buildings and on fencing; and at the t me of letting to the smallholders, a rent of£3 an acre was considered fair and reasonable. As I explained to my hon. and gallant Friend on the 17th instant, cases of special hardship amongst statutory smallholders have been met by abatements of rent, and in exceptional cases I shall be prepared to consider proposals submitted by smallholding committees for permanent reductions of rent as from Michaelmas next.