§ 33. Mr. WATTasked the President of the Board of Agriculture what was the method of appointing district wages committees in the various counties to deal with the question of agricultural wages under the Corn Production Act; who appointed the representatives of the labourers and who the representatives of the employers, and from what associations or bodies, if any, were they chosen; and is he aware that dissatisfaction exists because localities had not any opportunities of nominating any members?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD Of AGRICULTURE (Mr. Prothero)The representative members of district wages committees were appointed by the Agricutural Wages Board. Prior to the establishment of the committees, a notice was widely circulated through the Press and to all farmers' and labourers' organisations throughout the country inviting suggestions of suitable persons to serve on the district committees. Numerous suggestions were received, and a Selection Committee was appointed by the Wages Board to consider them. The employers' and workers' representatives on the Board submitted their respective nominations for each district committee to the Selection Committee, who recommended to the Wages Board the names of those whom they considered to be most suitable and representative.
§ Mr. WATTAre we to understand that the members of the district wages committees were nominated by the Wages Board, which in its turn were nominated by the right hon. Gentleman?
§ Mr. PROTHEROThat is not quite the case. Out of thirty-nine members of the Wages Board thirty-two were representatives, partly elected and partly nominated. The district wages committees are selected out of the names submitted to them by the Selection Committee of the Wages Board.