§ Major HOWARDasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether he is aware that on a farm situate partly in Cambridgeshire and partly in Suffolk for equal hours, for five weeks, which is the average duration of harvest in this district, the harvest wages as fixed by the Agricultural Wages Board amount to £23 5s. per man in the former and £17 12s. 6d. in the latter county; and can he explain what steps a farmer should take under these circumstances when work in one field is supposed to be worth 30 per cent, more than the same work in an adjoining field?
Sir A. BOSCAWENCases such as that adduced by the hon. and gallant Member are not frequent. Strictly speaking the man should be paid at the rate of each district for the proportion of the time he spends at work in that district. As such a procedure is somewhat impracticable the Agricultural Wages Board suggest that an agreement should be reached between the employer and the men in each case as to the fair rate to be paid, having regard to the extent of the land in each district. While such an agreement might not be valid for a particular man or a particular period it is unlikely that any attempt would be made to upset it.
§ Major HOWARDasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether he is aware that there is a real danger of a heavy loss of foodstuffs 1127W occurring in Hertfordshire through the serious disputes respecting harvest wages caused by the failure of the Agricultural Wages Board to make suitable arrangements for this county; and whether he will take action to procure such a Board as will more adequately carry out its duties?
Sir A. BOSCAWENI am advised that an agreement has been reached between the farmers and the labourers in Hertford shire, and that the threatened strike was thereby avoided. The Agricultural Wages Board have fixed special rates for harvest in all cases in which the district wages committee have recommended them to do so. The Hertfordshire and Middlesex District Committee discussed the matter, but made no recommendation.