§ 64. Mr. WATTasked the Secretary for Scotland whether he has yet had any report from the Board of Agriculture in Scotland as to the summoning of agriculturists from their work to the local tribunal of Dunblane, whereby one whole day for each is lost from the growing of food for the people; and is this system now altered?
§ The SECRETARI for SCOTLAND (Mr. Munro)From information furnished by the Board of Agriculture and the local tribunal it appears that, on the occasion to which my hon. and learned Friend refers, only about. one-fourth of the agricultural applicants were actually summoned to attend. In the other cases the tribunal sent an intimation that they were prepared to grant temporary exemption without the attendance of the parties concerned, provided the men enrolled in the Volunteers. I am informed that in no case were any of the parties kept by the tribunal after one o'clock. The necessity for attendance of applicants must depend upon the circumstances of each case, and no uniform rule can be laid down. I quite appreciate, however, the importance of minimising interruption of agricultural work, and I am assured that the local tribunal are fully alive to this consideration.