1920.] 



Questions in Parliament. 



89 



QUESTIONS IN PARLIAMENT. 



Ploughing: Up of Winter Wheat. In reply to a question by Mr. 

 Royce, the Parliamentary Secretary to Ministry of Agriculture stated 

 that he was not aware that any farmers intended to plough up their 

 winter wheat, but that he had heard that some farmers proposed to 

 cross-drill their wheat with barley or oats to secure a crop of mixed corn, 

 which could be used for stock feeding. Such action would not consti- 

 tute any offence against the law, but was to be deprecated as being 

 contrary to the national interest, (oth March 1920.) 



Muzzling: Order. — Tn reply to a question by Captain Tudor Rees, 

 the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry stated that the last case o 

 rabies occurred in Surrey on the 18th February. The Muzzling Orders 

 were at present in force in six different parts of the country. Owing to 

 the abnormally long incubation period which sometimes occurs in rabies, 

 it was not considered safe to free a muzzling area within a period of from 

 six to eight months from the date of the confirmation of the last case. 

 (15th March, 1920.) 



Land Settlement. — In reply to a question by Commander Locker- 

 Lampson, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry stated that 

 according to the latest returns received from the Huntingdon County 

 Council, 973 applications had been made to the Council for 16,115 acres. 

 Of these applicants, 692 had been approved for 7,265 acres and 522 had 

 actually been provided with holdings having a total area of 4,549 acres. 

 As regards 219 applicants for 3,569 acres, their applications were 

 standing over either for the purpose of interview or for some other 

 reason. Fifteen other counties had received a larger number of appli- 

 cations for small holdings than Huntingdon, and one county (Isle of Ely) 

 had 'settled a larger number of men, but he was glad to have this oppor- 

 tunity of congratulating the Huntingdon County Council on the work 

 which they had accomplished in regard to land settlement. He further 

 stated that arrangements had been made in accordance with Section 18 

 of the Land Settlement (Facilities) Act, 1919, for the Huntingdon 

 County Council to guarantee advances to their tenants for the purchase 

 of live stock, fruit trees, seeds, fertilisers and implements, and in these 

 circumstances he was not aware that the establishment of a land bank 

 was necessary at the moment. (15th March.. 192c.) 



Tillage. — In reply to a question by Major Howard, the Parliamentary 

 Secretary to the Ministry stated that the total area of land of which 

 the Agricultural Executive Committees are in possession under the 

 Defence of the Realm Regulations is 32,000 acres, of which 12,000 

 acres are let to farmers and 20,000 acres are being farmed by the 

 Committees themselves. (22nd March, 1920.) 



Tuberculosis Order of 1913. — In a reply to a question by Lieut. 

 Colonel Fremantle respecting the Tuberculosis Order of 191 3, the 

 Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry stated that it was anticipated 

 that the Tuberculosis Order, either in its present form, or slightly 

 amended, would come into operation at the same time as the Milk 

 and( Dairies Act. The question of employing whole-time veterinary 

 surgeons was under consideration, but the matter was one which pre- 

 sented serious difficulties. The Ministries of Health and Agriculture 

 were acting in close co-operation in this matter, and the possibility- of 

 introducing a system whereby herds might be guaranteed free from 

 tuberculosis was under consideration. (15th March. 1920.) 



