H<M M. 



83 Sfpltmbfr, 1 



Ml. .1 \MKM DONAI.D80N. 



[CoHliunril. 



1 1 .402. I want you to consider a moment your - 

 in. MI ub.tut the A.I population. I suppose you .n. 

 aware that tin- jir>|M)rti<in of the population of tin-- 

 . omit i y which i-ould bo described iu, rural is only 

 one-sixth ni the total? Ye, 1 agree to that. 



ll.lu't. Do you think that any increase in the rural 

 Imputation, say you made it one-fifth, would seriously 



tlir general physique of the nation as \vh..l. 

 I do think it would help. 



11,4<M. You do think i- ml that you should 



have a more numerous rural |M>pulatinn Yes ; and 

 .in.pthor instance i. that it you have not got that 

 rural porti..n of that population employed in the 

 rural (list ruts liy sending them into the ' t<> n 

 are making them compete with th.- industrial po'pu- 

 l.ition Id. 



11,405. Do you accept the general statement that 

 a city population must die out in three generation. .- 

 I am not a scientist. 



. 11.406. l>o you accept the general proposition that 

 n city population cannot maintain it-elf .- I am not 

 here to argue the point ; and I neither say ye or no 

 to it. 



11,407. But 1 take it you would not accept the 

 rather cynical position, that you must have a big 

 rural population in order to maintain a city [filia- 

 tion that is dying out? I know that has been put 

 forward. I am expressing no opinion with regard 

 to it 



I 1 .403. You would not accept it yourself, would 

 you? I am expressing no opinion with regard to it. 



11.409. Surely you would not like to think that a 

 son of yours or a son of your labourers had to go 

 into a town to maintain the town population and 

 hare no grandchildren? I express no opinion. I am 

 not qualified. 



11.410. It is rather important; because the only 



I on which you ran demand a more numerous 

 rural population on the ground of health is ih.it the 

 town population is dying out and mu-t necessarily 

 die out. You do not accept the ratliei- cynical view 

 1 put to you, do you? Is not that :iu extreme view 

 you are putting "forward? 



11.111. Those of us who do not accept that rather 

 cynical position want to say that the place to get an 

 A.I population is the place whore the |>opulatioii lives: 

 ami I think, it" I may say so, that you rather confuse 

 isBues when you speak about population in y.-.ur 

 memorandum. Do you not agree'- It i- again ;i 

 matter of opinion. 



11.412. Mr. Cautlry. 1 understand that vou come 

 here as a representative of th.' National ' Kai 

 I'nion That is so. 



11.413. Is that an organisation to look after the 

 fanners' interests? Yes. 



11.414. By that. I mean their business inter. 

 Certainly. 



II 11">. ('ould you tell mo how many members, 

 roughly, it consists of? I believe when we sent out 

 letter* asking for their opinions on certain s< 



we sent out 86,000 letters: but. tn be- on the safe. 

 side, we will MIV S0,00<) members. 



11.416. Are nil those engaged in farming?- \ 



11.417. Kvery one? I do not think you will find 

 one who is not a farmer. 



11.418. Is your opinion limited to Kncland and 

 ? Yes. 



11.419. You do not speak for Scotland? Vo Cer- 

 tainly not. 



11,430. So fhat we will take it to-day you are 

 putting before us the riewi of W.Om. farmers of 

 England and Wale*?- NI.OOO. veg . 



11.121. And their traile interests:- Ami their tra.le 

 internet*. 



11.122. What is it they want for no- K.,r 

 ii-xt your, that is for yon her.' to decide. That is 



v what yon are sitting here to .lo. You are 

 I.-, iding on evidence we are putting before yon. 



II 123. I am asking you. as representing the Sfi.OOO 

 farmers of Kngland ami hn it i. t|,. 



dn.trr wants t,. make the industry prosperous next 



and we will 

 tight our own battle ,,ut \Ve ,,,, t tn .,, i,,. f ,, r) . Vll ,, 



in our t.it..i.,.-nt With regard to whn' w want 'for 

 next year. I consider this Orimmiion is sitting, and 



after they hare heard evidence they will formulate 

 their viowx and advise, the' Hoard of Agriculture, who 

 w ill in turn advise the Cabinet; it me to say 



ll.rjl. Is it the position of the 86,000 farmers of 

 this country that they do not know what they want? 

 For this year? 



ll.r.Vi. Yes? That is the short view. 



1 1 . I2<>. I understand you limited your evidence to 

 - -For next year we have a decided promi-e 

 from the Prime Minister. We are limited to next 



I 1 .127. I was asking you the views of the farmers 

 of Kngland? With regard to what? 



1 1 .128. As to what they want for next year to make 

 their business prosperous ? It is not what we want. 

 but what we can get. 



11,42!). Very well, If that is the view, that the 

 farmers are not going to assist us, I can understand 

 their position ? But we are assisting you In every 

 method we can think of. 



1 1.430. On the contrary, who is more likely to knon 

 what is wanted to make an industry pro-pcrous than 

 the men engaged in the industry? The ( ',,11111, 

 might have to discount their views probably ! 



it the case that the Government have interfered with 

 agriculture? 



11.431. Would you mind answering my ijiii -; i..n - 



I am. Is it not the case that the Government have 

 interfered with agriculture during the war |Krio<l: / 



11.432. {'li'iiriituii : If you cannot answer the 

 lion of the (Viimiiis-ioncr. then say that you cannot 

 answer?. 1 was trying to answer it. 



11.433. Mi. I 'unlit y: My <|iie-iin is a verv simple 

 one. What do the farmers of Kngland want to make 

 their industry prosperous for next year? We are not 

 altogether concerned for next y.ar. We an- not 

 taking that perhaps into consideration now, because 

 of a promise expressed by the Prime Minister. You 

 must take that as my answer. 



11.434. You are contradicting yourself, if I may 

 ay so. You stated to almost every other Com- 

 missioner preceding me, thnt you would not speak 

 to what you called a long view of the future, because 

 that was policy and you had not considered that. 

 but you had only come here to help the Commission 

 ns to next year. If you say the farmers have not 

 made up their minds I can understand you ; but I 

 a in asking you so that we can get it perfectly clear 

 what the farmers want for next year!- If you 



me what the farmer has in his mind with 

 next year, and what we as a Farmers' ("nion have 

 in our mind with regard to next year, we have come 

 here to help you, and have spent no end of money 

 in order to help you in regard t<> what we consider 

 houlcl be a fair price fixed next year based on the 

 Prime Minister's promise. I can give you no other 

 answer. 



1 1 . l.'V>. And the farmer has no opinion as to what 

 is a fair price:' I can give you no other answer 

 thai. I have given yon. We have given you . 

 .'lice. 



I I I3(i. But, speaking on Ixilmlf of the farmers, are 

 you not .able to tell me what the 86,000 farmers 

 think is a fair price to bo guaranteed lor cereals !- 

 It is not for us to say what, is a fair pri< e 

 fixed for cereals. 



11.137. That is not the ijucstion I have asked your 

 I have given you an answer to the question, and 

 I refuse to say anything more. 



II. 13*. So that on behalf of the farmers engaged 

 in this industry, you refuse to say what they think 

 ought to be dono? I have jriven you my answer. 



ll.Cfll. Clitiinniin: I would like to see if it is 

 Do you say the farmer- rafOM to say what 

 they want in the way ,,f a guarantee for ilex: year. 

 or ilo you say that yon havi no in I roni ihe 



farmer! to ex pi ess an opinion: I lian- no 

 instructions from the farmers to express an opinion 

 M to what the price to be fixed for next 

 fhould be. 



I I. tin .l/i. i',,,,i;, :r . Cannot you see that that is 

 an extraordinary position to take n i om 



mission is here to inquire to ihe best of its ability 

 "" nt ' ry to put agriculture in an ifonomical 



and sound position: Kor nexi \e.u. 



1 Yon have limit, .,i it to' next year, but the 

 rommisMon is engaged in more than 'that, I am 



