THE AGRICULTURE ACT 89 



" That the Ministry of Agriculture be asked 

 to take the necessary steps to enable payment 

 to be made, when claimed, to members of the 

 Agricultural Committee of compensation for 

 loss of remunerative time, as in the opinion 

 of the Council the absence of such payment 

 may prevent the acceptance of office by certain 

 persons who would be useful members, or may 

 cause hardship to those who accept and under- 

 take the work." 



This was a highly sensible resolution if the 

 County Councils desired to bring into their 

 deliberations the best available agricultural 

 talents. The Association decided that no 

 action should be taken. When, however, the 

 Ministry in February 1920 wrote to the auth- 

 orities outlining the place the Agricultural 

 Committees should hold in County Govern- 

 ment, and the status to be given to the staff, 

 the Association, in the sacred cause of autonomy 

 for reaction, resolved "to protest against any 

 unnecessary interference with the prerogatives 

 of County Councils in regard to the appoint- 

 ment and duties of their own officials." This 

 claim of independence from Ministerial advice 

 and control was doubtless meant to be im- 

 pressively dignified ; in view of the fact that 

 it is another statement of the claim of the 

 3 per cent, tail to wag the 97 per cent, dog, 

 it must come near to holding the record for 

 impudence. 



