76 



ROYAL COMMISSION ON AGRICULTURE. 



2 Stptrmlvr, 1919.] 



MB. B. COI.TON Fox. 



7435. Would it be true to say they hare been doing 

 o well that they are not seriously concerned P I 

 know they hare been doing well. Do you moan the 

 profits? 



7496. TeaP In the first year of the war which do 

 you mean? 



7427. During the past fire years P Tea, they hare 

 made that up. They hare paid their "'or-drafts off 

 at the bank and had a fresh start. They expressed 

 to me the opinion that what they hare made in paying 

 off the over-drafts they do not want to lose in tin- 

 years to come. 



7496. But you rather suggest indifference on their 

 part; and I was wondering whether that indifference 

 is merely eridence that their position is satisfactory? 

 No; because I told them it was not what they ha<l 

 made in the past three years or until the Corn 

 Production Act, but it was the future, and that none 

 of them could arrive at an estimate. I hare had six 

 different estimates for ploughing. 



7429. But is the industry carried on in such a way 

 that it is impossible to see what the ploughing cost 

 actually is? Tou see each man has his different way, 

 and they arrive at different estimates; and, as I say, 

 they all differ. 



7430. But is it necessary to hare an estimate? 

 Cannot you get at the actual cost? No. You see the 

 costs of one farm would be either greater or lees on 

 the next farm? 



7431 . Yes ; but they would be actual figures, and not 

 estimates, would not they? Yes, if you could arrire 

 at them. Tt is not like an industry in a town. 

 Each man perhaps uses less or more artificials than 

 another, and he perhaps works his land better. 



7432. If you hare a 12-acre field, you would know 

 how many hours it took for a team of horses and a 

 man to plough that field? Of course some men would 

 pi re it an extra ploughing, and the next man would 

 not. This is one quartering 18s. an acre, and another 

 man might pay 18s. an acre more than that man. 



7433. If you go orer twice, of course it would cost 

 you more? It just depends on how they work it. 



7434. Hare there been any sales of land your way? 

 There hare been several estates sold, but rery few 

 individual farms hare been sold round me. In two 

 cases the estates have changed hands as a whole and 

 failed to find purchasers when offered in lots. 



7435. Hare any farmers bought their own farms? 

 No, rery few; in fact I do not think, except myself, 

 there is one farmer round me who has bought his own 

 farm since I have been there. 



7438. Is it possible through your Farmers' Club to 

 get any actual returns of farming? I could not do it. 



7437. Do you not think, if this guarantee is to b 

 giren which you yourself hare suggested of as much as 

 OOs. for wheat, the public will want some definite 

 cridence, or information, before they would consent to 

 it? You see, there again my 90s. is based on the most 

 expensive measures, but in some ways satisfactory 

 measures, for growing wheat. 90s. would honestly be 

 too much for me, I know. 



7438. But you realise, do you not, that if the public 

 are to be asked to contribute towards the cost of wheat, 

 they will want to know the reason? Yes. 



7439. And in the absence of definite figures as to 

 results on farms, it will be rather difficult to giro 

 reasons, will not it? I should take it with my I 

 age that 20 per cent., nay 12 10s. an acre, is what 

 you should get. Take that on four quarters, and I 

 khould sa-T that wheat for the next two years should 

 be 70s. I nay that in my district that' would pro- 

 bably be possible. 



7440. What do you base that on an arerage yield ?. 

 I take it on an arerage yield of 4 qrs. 



7441. I understood you to say that the yield was 4 to 

 4) qrs. P Yes, for wheat. Ours is such a funny dis- 



'ir wheat, that you cannot really say that the 

 rrop is 4} to the acre. It makes all the difference in 

 our district. It is 4 to 4) ; but I should say 4 is the 

 true arerage. 



7442. 70s. would gire you a return of 14. would not 

 itf-Yes. 



7443. And I understood you to say that the cost of 

 producing was 11 P No. My system was only one 

 ploughing ami put straight in as you hare it, which 

 is the cheapest way round me. But even with me the 

 general arerage is dearer than this, because this is 

 absolutely the cheapest way of putting it in, and I 

 hare taken that to be perfectly fair. 



7444. But, as a body, the farmers in your district 

 are not putting forth suggestions for the future? I 

 understand a member of the Farmers' Union, was going 

 to attend here; but ours is different to the Farmers' 

 Union. It is the Yorkshire Union of Agricultural 

 Clubs, and I am sorry to say I am the only one to 

 represent that body; but I understand the Farmers' 

 T'nion from Yorkshire is coming here. 



7445. How many members are there in your Associa- 

 tion? There are 29 clubs. 



7 I It;. And the members of those clubs are so much 

 concerned about the future of the industry that there 

 is only you prepared to come forward and gire us 

 eridence? They practically forced me to come. 



7447. Mr. Smith : That does not suggest a rery 

 serious position, so far as they are concerned. 



744S-9. Mr. Bobbins : If the Gorernment were to say 

 to the farmers of your district: " We are not going 

 to interfere in future. We are not concerned with 

 what proportion of your land you use for tillage. We 

 are not concerned with the proportion you use for 

 grass farming," would they still think they were 

 entitled to a guarantee? No; because it means that 

 tin' country does not mind what happens, and there- 

 fore they will farm to suit themselves on the cheap. 



7450. Mr. Parker: I am not quite clear at present 

 whether you maintain that the guarantee gircm 

 should cover interest and risk? Yes. 



7451. You do maintain that? I maintain it. 



7452. When you put your figures at 608., that is to 

 cover interest and risk? Yes, I have added 20 per 

 cent. 



7453. And you maintain that? Yes, I think it 

 .should be. 



7454. I gather from your conrersation that you 

 think the question of hours of labour very serious. 

 Hare you considered this question a more vital ele- 

 ment in the cost of production than the minimum 

 wage? Tho labour? 



V Yes? I consider it the most vital question. 

 And if the question of hours should be settled 

 up satisfactorily. . . .? Yes, we are more concerned 

 about that than anything else. 



7467. You are more concerned with the hours than 

 the minimum wage? Yes. 



7458. Would it, in your opinion, help farmers if 

 the Agricultural Wages Board fixed wages for a 

 year certain, instead of the rate of wages being liable 

 to be rnried after a month's notice? Yes, I do. I 

 think that they should bo fixed for a definite period 

 of six months, or a year. 



7459. It would help matters if there were certainty 

 for a year? I think eo; we should know what the 

 future is. 



7460. I want to ask you a question about your idea 

 of basing wages on current corn prices. Why do you 

 confine this suggestion to corn prices? Why should 

 not it apply to meat, and milk as well? I do not 

 i|iiit<- know how to work it. I hart- no suggestion as 

 to arriving at the ratio of wages to corn prices. It is 

 what I think the most just method of doing it. 



"Ml. Have you considered at oil how any sliding 

 scale could be framed? Is not the difficulty to find a 

 standard or base on which to start? I moan if you 

 were arranging a sliding scale now, what figure would 

 you take U]M>M \\hicli the scale was to slide? I should 

 start by taking the present minimum price, at least 

 it* maximum as well, of wheat; and I should take 

 the men's wages for the week as they are at present. 

 I should start on the present. 



7462. Would you take the present minimum wage, 

 and would you say the present prices are sufficient 

 to cover that minimum wage? You see, the present 

 for wheat are 76s. 6d. 758.' 6d. for me would 

 just make me all right; and therefore I should start 

 at present and take the weekly wages, the percen- 



