§ Mr. Joelasked the Minister of Agriculture whether, with regard to the purchases of estates in Bedfordshire and Warwickshire, he can state the use made by the Crown Lands Commission of these purchases; and whether they are regarded 1426W as investments or whether they were taken over for any other reason?
§ Mr. W. S. MorrisonThe estates purchased by the Commissioners of Crown Lands in Bedfordshire and Warwickshire were acquired as an investment of Land Revenue Funds under the Crown Lands Acts, which direct that all sums received for or in respect of any sales or exchanges of any part of the possessions of the Crown shall normally be invested in land. The estates are managed in a similar manner to other agricultural properties under the charge of the Commissioners, and in normal course the tenants who held under the late owners continue in possession of their several holdings after the change of ownership.