1920.] 



Questions in Parliament. 



SSI 



&c., and some 17,200 men would be settled on this area. The present position 

 of land settlement in England and Wales had recently been thoroughly 

 investigated by a Cabinet Committee, and a letter was about to be addressed 

 by the Ministry to each County Council, embodying the decisions which had 

 been reached, and, inter alia, stating that additional funds would be provided 

 by the Treasury for land settlement purposes. (1st November, 1920.) 



In reply to Capt. Terrell, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry stated 

 that the total number of ex-service men who had applied to the Ministry and 

 to County Councils and Councils of County Boroughs was 44,229. Up to the 

 present 25,038 had been approved and about 7,700 were awaiting interview as 

 to their quahfications. The area acquired since the 1st January, 1919, was 

 260,553 acres, and proposals for the acquisition of a further 30,000 were at 

 present under consideration by the Ministry. The number of men actually 

 settled was 10,487, of whom 9,042 were ex-service meti, and it was estimated 

 that the land acquired and not yet let would provide holdings for a further 

 8,000 men, as soon as the additional cottages and buildings could be erected. 

 (15th November, 1920.) 



Farm Colonies.— In reply to Mr. G. Roberts, the Parliamentary 

 Secretary to the Ministry stated that the number of farm settlements in 

 England and Wales was 14, and the settlers numbered 706. Of these 531 were 

 ex-service men, and 14 were ex-service women. Seven settlements contained 

 a central farm. The purpose of the latter was not, however, to train men, as 

 all settlers were required, before admission, to have had sufficient experience 

 or training to manage a small holding, or to undertake other farm work. 

 (25th October, 1920.) 



Allotments. — In reply to Captain Terrell, the Parliamentary Secretary 

 to the Ministry stated that he was not in a position to say how many 

 allotments had been created since the beginning of the year, and how many 

 had reverted to other uses. A return would be obtained after the end of the 

 year from each allotment authority in England and Wales, showing the 

 acreage acquired for allotments and the number of allotment holders provided 

 for under the Small Holdings and Allotments Act, 1908, and the Land Settle- 

 ment (Facilities) Act, 1919, and it was proposed to embody in the Ministry's 

 Annual Eeport to Parliament under Section 59 of the Small Holdings and 

 Allotments Act, 1908, a summary of the information thus obtained. 

 (1st November, 1920.) 



Exported Horses : Standard of Fitness.— In reply to Major 

 Steele, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry stated that his attention had 

 been called to articles appearing in the Press on the subject of the sale of worn- 

 out horses to the Continent, and that the statements appeared generally to be 

 made under a misapprehension as to the facts. TheDiseasesof Animals Act, 1910, 

 as amended by the Exportation of Horses Act, 1914, prohibits the shipment 

 of worn-out horses without a written guarantee from a veterinary inspector of 

 the Ministry, to the effect that the horses are capable of being conveyed and 

 worked without suffering.* The Ministry insists on a strict interpretation of 

 the standard of fitness. The average price of the exported horses, was, he 

 understood, £28, and the cost of shipment varied between £4 and £6. He 

 had no reason to believe that any horses were being shipped which failed to 

 reach the requisite standard. (1st November, 1920.) . . 



See the issue of this Journal for last month, p. 709. 



