548 



The Allotments Act, 1922. 



[Sept.^ 



land is required for any purpose other than the use of the land 

 for agriculture. 



If any question arises as to whether a landowner in good 

 faith requires possession for a specified purpose {e.g. building) 

 of land acquired or entered on by a local authority or let to an 

 association for allotment gardens, the local authority or associa- 

 tion may refer the question to arbitration. The landlord must 

 state in writing the purpose for which re-entry is required, 

 and the appeal must be made within ten days after receiving this 

 notification. This appeal does not apply to land let by a railway, 

 dock, canal, water or other public undertaking. 



The Act also provides that the Council of every Borough or 

 Urban District with a population of 10,000 or upwards, shall, 

 unless exempted by the Minister of Agriculture after consulta- 

 tion with the Minister of Health, establish an Allotments Com- 

 mittee (which may be an existing Committee of the Council or 

 a Sub-Committee of an existing Committee) to which ail allot- 

 ment matters except the power of raising a rate or of borrowing 

 money shall stand referred. This Committee must comprise 

 persons other than members of the Council representative of 

 the interests of occupiers of allotment gardens in the borough 

 or district, provided that the number of such representative 

 members shall be not more than one -third of the total number 

 of the members of the Committee or be less than two or one- 

 fifth of such total number whichever be the larger. 



Until the Blst December, 1922, Orders made for the com- 

 pulsory acquisition of land for allotments will, subject to certain 

 exceptions, not require confirmation by the Minister of Agriculture. 



Unless an acquiring authority serves notice to treat under an 

 Order within three calendar months of the making of the Order 

 it will become null and void. 



The Act also provides that, in future, allotments provided by 

 a Council shall be let at the full fair rent for such use, but 

 Councils are still required to act on the principle that the whole 

 of their allotments undertaking is to be candied on upon a self- 

 supporting basis except that acquisition expenses (such as legal 

 costs\ the cost of making public roads, and sinking fund 

 charges in respect of loans raised in connection with the purchase 

 of land, need not be included as expenses for the purpose of 

 drawing up the balance sheet of their undertaking. 



