§ Captain Kerbyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many persons were employed in the Education and Advisory Services Division of his Department in 1955; at what cost; and how many farmers sought the advice of this division during 1955.
Mr. AmoryThe number of persons employed in the Education and Advisory Services of my Department during 1955–56 averaged 2,440 (including 64 industrial workers and approximately 470 farm workers at experimental farms and horticulture stations). The cost of their salaries and wages was £2,054,607.
No record is kept of the number of farmers who seek advice, but in 1954–55, 15W the latest year for which figures are available, over 370,000 advisory visits to farms and holdings and nearly 120,000 visits for other purposes, when advice was also given, were made by officers of the National Agricultural Advisory Service. In addition many farmers visit the experimental stations and attend demonstrations, lectures and other similar activities.