§ 29. Mr. REMERasked the Minister of Agriculture how many times the National Agricultural Wages Board met in the last financial year; and what was the cost of this Board both in administrative control and expenses paid to members of the Board?
Mr. GUINNESSThe Agricultural Wages Board met 16 times during the last financial year, the payments to members in connection with attendance at the meetings being £678. The cost of the administrative work in connection with the Board cannot be stated separately, as it is merged in the Ministry's expenditure on the general administration of the Agricultural Wages (Regulation) Act, 1924.
§ Mr. REMERIs it not a fact that the Board do nothing except register what the district board does?
Mr. GUINNESSTheir activities ensure that the orders are made on a uniform plan. It may be that the fact that the Board has the power to make orders in default of the county committees makes it effective in inducing the county committees to frame orders.