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8
1878.
26 & 27 Viet.,
Act 1878." It provides for the management of allotments, in cases where the number of allotment-trustees or of the vestry exceeds twenty, by a Committee ». 19. of not more than twelve nor less than six members. It also empowers (a. 12) the managers of any allotments under the above-mentioned Act of 1888 (2 and 3 Will. 4, o. 42), or any such Committes, to require the whole rent for a year to be paid in advance, and otherwise amends that Act.
The second of these Acts, "The Allotments Extension Act 1882,* marked a new departure in the administration of charitable truste
The main enactment of this Act (s. 4) makes it compulsory on all trustees holding lands for the benefit of the poor of any parish, and whereof the rents or produce are distributed in gifts or doles, to take proceedings for letting such lands (unless used for recreation or similar purposes, or unless separation of a portion of the lands would make it impossible to let the remainder without substantial loss to the charity) in allotments to cottagers, labourers, and others. The allotments are limited to an acre, and are to be let free of all charges, and at such rent as is usually obtained for land of the same quality in the same parish, with such addition as is necessary to satisfy the said charges. No building can be erected on the allotments for use as a dwelling or workshop.
Land otherwise within the purview of the Act can be exempted on the ground of unsuitableness by a certificate of the Charity Commissioners, which is however subject to revocation on the application of the persons entitled to apply for allotments.
Rules for the management of the allotments are to be made by the trustees, subject to approval by the Charity Commissioners.
This Act also declares (s. 14) that where the Charity Commissioners make a scheme in relation to any charity, and part of the endowment consists of land other than buildings, the Charity Commissioners shall insert a provision authorising the trustees to set apart portions of such lands as allotments.
It is obvious that, in the administration of this Act, questions might be expected to arise between the duties of trustees of charity lands under the Act, and their ordinary duties to their charity; and complaints were soon made by the authors of the Act, and notably by Mr. Jesse Collings, that it was not fully and properly carried into execution by trustees and by the Charity Commissioners. Accordingly a Select Committee of the House of Commons on the Charitable Trusts Acts took evidence respecting the Act and its administration in the Session of 1884, with the general result that the complaints were either disproved or found to be exaggerated. The Committee at the same time expressed an opinion that the Act is defective and requires considerable amendment.
Vict.,
Working
Classes Act.
71.
49 & 40 Vick,
6.
It remains only to notice the Housing of the Working Classes Act, Housing of passed last Session, which enables sanitary authorities, who adopt the Labouring Classes Lodging Houses Acts for their districts, to build cottages at the expense of the rates, and provides that the expression "cottage" may include a garden of not more than half an acre, and not exceeding the esti- mated annual value of £3.
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