1909.] 



Report of the Land Division. 



659 



In accordance with section 59 of the Small Holdings and 

 Allotments Act, 1908, the Board have called for returns of 

 the proceedings of every Town Council, Urban District 

 Council, and Parish Council in relation to allotments during 

 the year 1908, and the opportunity has been taken to obtain 

 information as to the total quantity of land which has been 

 purchased or hired by Councils for allotments. The informa- 

 tion received from those Councils who have forwarded 

 returns is tabulated in the Appendix to the Report. 



The total quantity of land held by Councils in England 

 and Wales on December 31st, 1908, for the purpose of allot- 

 ments was 17,529 acres, of which 3,478 acres had been pur- 

 chased and 14,051 acres hired. The actual quantity let in 

 allotments amounted to 16,809 acres, and the number of 

 tenants to whom it was let was 58,648 individuals and two 

 associations : the average size of each allotment is therefore 

 about ir. 6p. 



The number of applications received for allotments during 

 1908 was 21,540, and the total quantity applied for was 

 15,695 acres. There were 18,366 applicants for not more than 

 one acre each, the total quantity applied for being 4,779 

 acres, while there were 3,169 applicants for allotments ex- 

 ceeding one acre and not exceeding five acres, and the 

 quantity applied for by them was 10,806 acres. No obliga- 

 tion is imposed on allotment authorities by the Act to provide 

 allotments exceeding one acre, and accordingly a consider- 

 able number of the applications for such allotments were 

 referred to the County Councils to be dealt with as applica- 

 tions for small holdings. 



The number of applicants in England and Wales who have 

 been provided with allotments by local authorities during 

 1908 is 6,147, of whom 2,002 have been provided for by 

 Parish Councils, 1,606 by Urban District Councils, and 

 2 >539 by Town Councils. These figures include all those 

 persons who have been accommodated with allotments on 

 land which was in possession of the Councils prior to 

 January 1st, 1908, when the Small Holdings and Allotments 

 Act, 1907, came into operation, as well as on the land which 

 was acquired by Councils under that Act during the year 

 1908. 



