§ 68. Mr. W. B. TAYLORasked the Minister of Agriculture on what grounds recent changes in the personnel of the independent members of the agricultural wages committees were made in certain counties?
§ Dr. ADDISONOn the 17th October last, the two-year term of office of all members of the 47 agricultural wages committees expired, and it was my duty to fill the vacancies thus created for the two impartial members of each committee. In the great majority of cases the retiring member was invited to serve again. Thirteen impartial members, however, resigned or declined to accept re-appointment. Only in the case of five other members was any change made. In these cases I considered, from the information before me, that it would be in the interests of the smooth working of the committees if fresh impartial members were appointed.
§ Mr. BLINDELLWill the right hon. Gentleman give us any information as to why these members refused to serve again?
§ Dr. ADDISONIn some cases the members stated their views, and in some cases they did not.
§ Mr. WALLHEADIs it a fact that the reason why one of these members was rejected was that he was not in favour of the reduction of the agricultural workers' wages?
§ Dr. ADDISONNo, that is not so. The reason in that particular case was because one party of the members of the tribunal had refused to attend for six months, and I have to get the tribunals to work somehow or other.
§ Mr. LEESHave certain individuals not been removed from the committee because the farmers objected to their being there?
§ Dr. ADDISONAs a matter of fact, in some cases one party has objected and in other cases the other party has objected. That only shows how difficult it is to be impartial.
§ 74. Mr. SHEPHERDasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that of the 94 impartial members and 47 impartial chairmen of the agricultural wages committees, totalling 141 persons, there are only two representative working men; and whether in future appointments he will take steps to secure a proper proportion of workers amongst the impartial members?
§ Dr. ADDISONNo impartial member of an agricultural wages committee has been appointed in a representative capacity, and it would be improper to make such an appointment on that basis, as the duty of an impartial member is to act independently as between the two sections of the committee representing agricultural employers and workers respectively.
§ Mr. SHEPHERDIs it the view of the Minister that a person who earns his living by manual labour cannot be impartial?
§ Dr. ADDISONNo, not in the least.
§ 75. Mr. LEESasked the Minister of Agriculture why the late impartial members of the East Riding of Yorkshire agricultural wages committee, who increased the wages by 1s. per week in 1929, were not reappointed by him, whereas the impartial members on the Holland (Lines) wages committee, having reduced the wages by 1s. 6d. per week, were reappointed by him, although the workers objected?
§ Dr. ADDISONNo question of the rates of wages fixed by the wages committees was taken into account in arriving at decisions as to whether any particular impartial members should be reappointed for a further term of office, my sole consideration being the smooth working of the committees. In the case of the East Riding of Yorkshire Committee, one section of the representative members had for some time past refused to attend any meetings of the Committee while the late impartial members remained in office, and it would have been futile to have asked the retiring members to serve for a further two years in such circumstances. In the case of the Holland (Lincolnshire) Committee, no difficulty had arisen in the functioning of the committee.
§ Mr. LEESIs my right hon. Friend aware that the impartial members first of all were those who were in favour of an increase of the wages to the employés and that the farmers objected; and is he prepared to accept the advice of the farmers to prove the impartiality of individuals?
§ Dr. ADDISONNo, I am not. At the same time, other cases have occurred of a precisely opposite character, in which I did not re-appoint the impartial members. It is quite impossible to reappoint members which one side obstinately refuses to consider impartial.
§ Mr. LEESDid the members also object to the appointment of a chairman, and against their wish has he also been accepted by the Minister?
§ Dr. ADDISONI have not heard of that, but I will inquire.
§ Mr. BLINDELLIs it the right hon. Gentleman's practice to take into consideration any advice offered, either by farmers' or by workers' representatives, when making the appointment of impartial members of these committees, or does he make the appointments on his own initiative entirely?
§ Dr. ADDISONIn every case the suggestions are referred to the representatives of the workers and the employers before any appointment is made. That rule has been followed in every case.
§ Mr. BLINDELLFurther, does the right hon. Gentleman take any notice of representatives who positively refuse to serve under a chairman because a special decision of the committee has been given?
§ Dr. ADDISONI have to take all the circumstances into account and do the best I can.