MINUTES OF EVIDENCE. 



47 



12 Avguit, 1919.] 



MR. H. G. HOWELL, F.C.A. 



[Continued. 



THIRD DAY. 



TUESDAY, 12ra AUGUST, 191 Jr. 



PRESENT : 

 SIR WILLIAM BARCLAY PEAT (Chairman). 



DR. C. M. DOUGLAS, C.B. 



MR. G. G. REA, C.B.E. 



MR. W. ANKER SIMMONS, C.B.E 



Mn. HENRY OVERMAN, O.B.E. 



MR. A. W. ASHBY. 



MR. A. BATCHELOR. 



MR. GEORGE DALLAS. 



MR. W. EDWARDS. 



MR. F. E. GRKEN. 



MR. .). M. HENDERSON. 



MR. T. HENDERSON. 

 MR. T. PROSSER JONES. 

 MR. E. W. LANGFORD. 

 MR. R. V. LENNARD. 

 MR. GEORGE NICHOLLS. 

 MR. E. H. PARKER. 

 MR. R. R. ROBBINS. 

 MR. W. R. SMITH, M.P. 

 MR. R. B. WALKER. 



MR. HARRY GEORGE HOWEU,, F.C. A. (Director of Agricultural Costs under Agricultural Costings Com. 



in it tee), Called and Examined. 



Chan limn : Perhaps you would allow me to put in, 

 without reading it, the memorandum which you are RO 

 kind as to givj us with regard to the Agricultural 

 Custings < omniiltee.r' Yes. 



1. Ct.nititiition and Object* of the AyriciiUural 

 Costings I 'iiiHiiiitttr. 



1076. The Costings Committee was set up recently 

 as an independent body hy the Board of Agriculture 

 :ind Fisheries for England and Wales, the Hoard of 

 Agriculture for Scotland, the Department of Agricul- 

 ture and Technical Instruction for Ireland, and tin- 

 Ministry Of F(KI(I. 



1077. The appointment of the Committee was ren- 

 dered necessary owing to the complete lack of reliable 

 data concerning the costs of production of farm pro- 

 ducts, and other information bearing on the economic 

 and financial aspects of the industry. 



1078. During the war the absence of such informa- 

 tion was especially felt in the endeavours made to 

 fix prices equitable both to the producer and the 

 consumer, and in considering fair rates of wages. 



1079. When prices were under consideration the 

 invariable and natural demand of the consumer was 

 for reliable costs of production to justify the prices 

 which were being adjusted, and tho absence of such 

 information caused a spirit of distrust and dissatis- 

 faction on both sides. 



1080. In the .same way the Wages Boards have been 

 handicapped in their efforts to determine rates of 

 wages. 



1081. It was considered, however, in setting up the 

 Costings Committee ithat the guidance furnished by 

 the statistical data would assist in the formulation 

 of a national agricultural policy; would be valuable 

 to the agricultural industry in various ways, and 

 also to the individual farmer, as bearing on the 

 question of good farm management. 



?r,12r, 



1082. The Costings Committee is intended to be a 

 permanent body. 



1083. The scope of the Committee's investigation 

 extends over the whole of the United Kingdom and 

 the results obtained will be collected and centralized. 

 It was considered essential to have one, controlling 

 body to deal with the organisation and returns of the 

 three countries, in order to secure uniformity of 

 treatment in the collection and presentation of the 

 results. 



1084. The functions delegated to the Committee are 

 two-fold. 



(1) Temporary. To obtain costs of production of 



particular items of agricultural produce as 

 may be required by the Ministry of Food 

 for their special duty in the control of 

 prices. 



(2) I'rrm.'inrnt. To obtain such permanent in- 



formation as to the costs and results of 

 farming as is required by the Departments 

 of Agriculture and the Agricultural Wages 

 Boards. 



The subjects, of the Committee's investigations will 

 therefore include the following information in respect 

 of all types and classes of farms: 

 Costs of Production generally. 

 Profits (or Losses). 

 Cost of Wages. 

 Cost of Feeding Stuffs. 

 Cost of Fertilisers and other expenses in the 



carrying on of the industry. 

 Rents. 



Value of Land. 



Amount of capital invested by landlords and 

 farmers respectively in Live Stock, Machinery 

 and Implements, Land and Buildings, 

 Drainage and permanent improvements, etc. 



P 



