§ Mr. CAUTLEYasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture (1) whether, with a view to informing the non-agricultural Members of the House of the profits made by men farming large holdings and their ability to pay the existing and proposed minimum wage, he will now state the Board's estimate of the profits made by them in farming the Sunk Island Estate of 2,363 acres for the years ending 6th April, 1918;and 6th April, 1919, before issuing the certified balance sheets;
(2) When he intends to publish the balance-sheet of the Board's farming operations on the Sunk Island estate, at Patrington, East Yorkshire, of 2,363 acres, for the years ending 6th April, 1918, and 6th April, 1919;
(3) How many ex-Service men are now working on the Board's farm of 2,363 acres at Sunk Island, Patrington; what is the amount of profits paid to each over and 381W above his wages for the year ending 6th April, 1919;and how many houses have been built by the Board on the estate and how many are now occupied by ex-Service men?
§ Commander EYRES-MONSELLThere are twenty-nine ex-Service men working on the Board's Farm Settlement at Patrington. Thirty-four new houses have been built by the Board. Eleven houses are now occupied by ex-Service men, and seven others have been allotted for occupation by ex-Service men during the next month.
Under the terms of the profit-sharing scheme, each settler has to serve a probationary period of one year before commencing to share in the profits. As the financial year for the farm accounts ends at Michaelmas, I am unable to give the particulars asked for in respect of the year ending 6th April, 1919. The balance-sheet for the period April, 1917, to Michaelmas, 1918, will be issued at once. The profit for the eighteen months in question amounts to about £11,700, after allowing for interest on capital.
Only one ex-Service man had been employed beyond his term of probation within the period covered by the account. He will be paid a share of the profits, amounting to the sum of £14 2s. 2d., which represents a dividend of £59 12s. per cent. on the wages paid to him for the five months subsequent to his term of probation. The labourer referred to worked for five and a half days a week only, and the wages quoted above are those received after deducting 3s. a week as cottage rent.