(1)If the council of any borough, urban district, or parish are of opinion that there is a demand for allotments for the labouring population in the borough, urban district, or parish, and that such allotments cannot be obtained at a reasonable rent and on reasonable conditions by voluntary arrangement between the owners of land suitable for such allotments and the applicants for the same, the council shall provide a sufficient number of allotments, and shall let such allotments to persons belonging to the labouring population resident in the borough, district, or parish, and desiring to take the same.
(2)On a representation in writing, to the council of any borough, urban district, or parish, by any six registered parliamentary lectors or ratepayers resident in the borough, urban district, or parish, that the circumstances of the borough, urban district, or parish are such that it is the duty of the council to take proceedings under this Part of this Act therein, the council shall take such representation into consideration.
(3)For the purpose of this section, the expression " reasonable rent" means the rent, exclusive of rates, taxes, and tithe rent-charge, which a person taking an allotment might reasonably be expected to pay, taking one year with another, to a landlord, having regard to the value of similar land in the neighbourhood, to, the extent and situation of allotment, to the expenses of the adapting the land to the purposes of the allotment, and to the repairs and other outgoings payable by the landlord, and to the cost and risk of collecting the rents of and otherwise managing-allotments.
(4)The duty of a council to provide allotments under this Act shall not include the duty of providing allotments exceeding one acre in extent.