1920.] Allotments : Compulsory Hiring. 



813 



At a meeting on 31st August, at which representatives of the 

 railways and the trades concerned w^ere present, this proposal 

 was agreed in principle, and subsequently the Eailway Clearing 

 House, after further consultation with the trade, decided that 

 from 1st November, 1920, flowers and plants in soil, or in 

 pots, when conveyed in the guard's van by passenger train, 

 will be charged as follows: — 



Company's Risk. Owner's Risk. 



(a) Packed in substantial crates G-eneral parcels scale, Owner's risk scale, 



or wooden boxes so con- including collection including delivery, 

 structed as to admit of other and delivery, 

 traffic being loaded on top 

 thereof. 



{h) When not so packed : — 



1 foot or under in height. General parcels scale General parcels scale, 

 plus 50 per cent., including delivery, 

 including collection 

 and delivery. 



Above 1 foot in height. General parcels scale Owner's risk scale 

 plus 25 per cent., plus 25 per cent., 

 including collection including delivery, 

 and delivei-y. 



In the case of traffic conveyed under Clause {h) above, prior 

 arrangements must be made with the Eailway Companies as 

 to the quantity which can be accepted for forwarding, when 

 such traffic exceeds one cwt. 



The above rates will supersede any existing special rates. 



The Ministry has received numerous representations to the 

 effect that in many boroughs and urban districts Councils have 



Allotments* satisfied the outstanding demand for 



Compulsory Hiring, ^^^^^^^^nts and, when pressed by the appli- 

 cants, have stated that they are unable to 

 acquire land, owing to the owners being unwilling to let and to 

 all available land being either building land or having a 

 prospective building value. Councils have stated that, in such 

 circumstances, they cannot acquire land at a price or rent 

 sufficiently low to enable them to let allotments without 

 incurring loss. It seems to the Ministry that the position taken 

 up by such Councils is based on a misconception of the pro- 

 visions of the Small Holdings and Allotments Acts, 1908 to 

 1919, with regard to the compulsory hiring of land for 

 allotments. 



A Council can make an order authorising them to hire land 

 compulsorily for a period of not less than 14 years and not more 



