§ Mr. Remerasked the Minister of Agriculture whether his attention has been called to the notices sent out by the Commissioners of Crown Lands in the manor and forest of Macclesfield, claiming sums for the extinguishment of manorial incidents; if he is aware that the owners of this property, which has been in their possession in some cases for 50 years, have never heard of these manorial incidents; that the phraseology of these notices is giving great offence; that many of these property owners are small people, often widows occupying small cottages; and if he will explain why this matter has been raised now and take steps to see that they are withdrawn?
§ Mr. RamsbothamMy right hon. Friend is sorry if the notices referred to have not made the legal position clear. On 1st January, 1936, all manorial incidents, at Macclesfield and elsewhere, became automatically extinguished under the provisions of the Law of Property Act, 1922, and compensation assessed in accordance with the Act became payable to the Lord of the Manor. During the last ten years the Commissioners of Crown Lands have made voluntary agreements under the Act with a number of owners of property at Macclesfield. Where no agreements have yet been made and no compensation paid, notices, in a form similar to that used by the Commissioners in connection with other manors, are now being sent out with a view to the outstanding cause being disposed of before 31st December, 1940, which is the date specified in the Act for completion of these arrangements.
The notices do no more than state the legal position and suggest that it would 2227W save expense if the owners made voluntary agreements and paid compensation accordingly. As explained in the notices, any of the small property owners referred to by my hon. Friend can obtain further information by application to the Manor Court Office, 43, Churchside, Macclesfield. In such cases the compensation payable would be very small.