§ 30. Mr. KINGasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether, in view of the appeal made by Lord Selborne at Norwich to agricultural labourers not to strike during the War, any steps are being taken to secure to all workers on the land fair and adequate wages?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of AGRICULTURE (Mr. Acland)One of the good results of the War is that agricultural labourers' wages have risen. In many cases they now represent a fair and adequate return for the work done. In other cases, though there has been an average rise of from 10 to 15 per cent., there is reason to doubt whether the increase has been sufficient to cover the increased cost of living. But on the whole the laws of supply and demand are acting much more freely than in ordinary times; and it is probably better to rely upon the continued upward tendency in wages that may be expected to result from them, than to embark upon any immediate State action.