DANGER OF RURAL ENDOWMENTS.

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 57, 4 September 1926, Page 10

DANGER OF RURAL ENDOWMENTS.

The Loader of the Council (Sir Heaton Bhodes) said he had thought the subject of leasehold versus freehold was dead. There was always a danger in relying upon country endowments that they might be affected by slumps, in which case the revenue from them would be also affected; Such a thing had occurred in England in connection with University endowment lands. He admitted that the Westport leases referred to by Mr. M'lntjjre were not satisfactory^ but something was being done to improve conditions therei Personally he did not know of a country in the world where a complete leasehold system was in operation. In Committee on the Bill, Sir Bobert Stout declared that the present proposrl was a reversal of the policy laid the .national endowment lands should down in the Act of 1924, which was that not be sold. He could see nothing in the Act to the effect that the proceeds, of sale were to be devoted to the purchase of other lands. It was absurd for the; State to sell leased -land and buy other land in.order that it might again derive money from leases. The best land in Scotland was leasehold land. Tho policy of doing away with the national endowment lands had never been submitted to the people at a General Election. He moved an amendment to negative the effect of the operative clause in the Bill. The amendment was defeated by 20 votes to 2, Mr. Witty being Sir Bobert V only supporter. The insertion of a new clause moved by, Mr. M 1 In tyre to give effect to his proposal in respect to the Westport Colliery leases was defeated on the voices. The Bill wag put through its -final stages and passed.