§ Captain D. HALLasked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he is aware that the Isle of Wight County Council and the Isle of Wight War Agricultural. Committee, and other prominent agriculturists, have protested against the decision of the Agricultural Wages Board, to establish one district wages committee for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, as the circumstances and interests of the two counties are dissimilar in so many respects, and it will be impossible for Isle of Wight representatives conveniently to attend meetings held in Hampshire; and, having regard to the fact that the insular position and peculiarities of the Isle of Wight have always been recognised by previous Governments in making it a separate area, as, for instance, in respect to county councils and national insurance and other matters, will he reopen the question with a view to giving the inhabitants of the Isle of Wight a chance of stating their objections?
§ Mr. PROTHEROThe determination of the areas for which district wages committees are established, rests, under the Corn Production Act, with the Agricultural Wages Board. I understand that the representations to which my hon. Friend refers have been carefully considered by them, but they adhere to their decision. In many other instances administrative county areas have been combined to form the districts of a wages committee, and the number of members fixed for each committee has been adjusted in relation to1222W the size of the district in each case. District committees may delegate powers to sub-committees, and by this arrangement full opportunity will be afforded for consideration of the special conditions of any part of the district.