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Confidential.]

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MEMORANDUM ON ALLOTMENTS.

5

mant of

Since about the time of the conclusion of the French War in 1815, the Commence policy of providing allotments, or small patches of cultivable ground, to be let legislation to and cultivated by persons of the labouring class, has been favoured by lento. Parliament.

Enactments dealing with the subject are found in (1) the Poor Law Acts; (2) in the Inclosure Acts; (3) in two Acts passed in 1873 and 1882, which relate directly and exclusively to allotments.

respecting

Poor Law

Acta, In-

and recent Allotments Acts.

closure Acts,

Acts.

1819. 59 Geo. 8, s.

#Bourne's

Act), su 18—

14.

Beginning with the Poor Law Acts, we find that in 1819 the church- 1. Poor Law wardens and overseers of parishes, with the consent of the vestry, were authorised by 59 George 3, c. 12 (commonly known as Sturges Bourne's Act) 13 (Sturge to purchase or hire land on account of the parish not exceeding twenty acres,' and to let any portions of any land so purchased, or of any other land belonging to the parish, to poor and industrious inhabitants of the parish, to be occupied by them for their own benefit at such reasonable rent and for such term as should be fixed by the vestry. No greater rate than 18. in the £ was to be levied for carrying into execution the provisions of the Act, except with the consent of two-thirds in value of the ratepayers.

1831. 1 & 3 Will. 4,

In 1831, the limit of twenty acres were enlarged to fifty acres, and the powers of the churchwardens and overseers were made exerciseable by the c. 43. guardians elected under local Acts. These authorities were also empowered to enclose, with the consent of the Lord of the Manor and the majority in value of the commoners, not exceeding fifty acres of common, lying in or near the parish, and to let parts of it to any poor and industrious inhabitants. This power of enclosing fifty acres was extended in the same session to forest 1 & 2 Will. 4, or waste lands of the Crown, with the consent of the Treasury.

c. 69.

3 & 3 Will. 4,

In the following year, 1832, an important Act was passed, the primary 1883. object of which was to render more beneficial the appropriations of waste lands & 4. that had been made for the benefit of the poor under the numerous Inclosure Acts passed during the preceding half-century, though its scope was widely extended by a section at the end of the Act, which made its provisions applicable in all cases where land is found appropriated for the benefit of the poor. It recites that in parishes inclosed under Acts of Parliament there are in many cases allotments made for the benefit of the poor, chiefly with a view to fuel, which are to a great extent unproductive; and that it would tend to the welfare and happiness of the poor if such allotments could be let at a fair

• Enlarged to 50 acres in 1881.

(20 1 | 86-H & 8 1536)

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