152 



ROYAL COMMISSION OF AQRICULTIKK. 



MR. CABTEI.L WKKY. 



(C"HtlHHril. 



SIXTH DAY. 



WKDNKSDAY, 20'ru AUGUST, 1919. 



PRESENT : 

 SIR WILLIAM BARCLAY PEAT (Chairman). 



I)H. C. M. DOUGLAS, C.B. 



MB. G. G. REA, C.B.E. 



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



MB. HENRY OVERMAN, O.B.K. 



MB.' A. W. ASHBY. 



MB. A. BATCHELOR. 



MB. H. S. CAUTLEY, K.C., M.P. 



MB. GEORGE DALLAS. 



MR. W. EDWARDS. 



MR. F. E. GREEN. 

 Ma. J. M. HENDERSON. 

 MB. T. HENDERSON. 

 MB. T. PROSSER JONES. 

 MB. E. W. LANGFORD. 

 MB. R. V. LENNARD. 

 MB. E. H. PARKER. 

 MH. R. R. ROBB1N- 

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



MR. R. B. WALKER. 



Mr. CASTKIA WHEY, called and examined. 



(Evidence-in-chief handed in by Witnett.) 

 3814. I propose with the approval of the Royal 

 Ciunmissioii to submit*: 



1. Cost prices of production for 1917-18 on a 2,700- 

 acre farm in Northamptonshire of 



(a) Wheat after Beans. 

 (6) Wheat after Clover. 

 (c) Spring Oats after old Turf. 

 (rf) Winter Oats after Clover. 

 (e) Barley after Carrots. 

 (/) Mangolds after Ensilage. 

 (g) Swedes after Carrot failure. 



2. And for 1918-19, as far as crops and season will 

 allow 



(a) 2 fields of Hay. 



(c) 1 ,, Wheat after 



(d) 1 ,, Barley after Potatoes. 

 () 1 ,, Oat6 after Clover. 



(/) 1 Beans after Flax. 



3. Profit and loss account and balance sheets for iln> 

 years 1911 to 1918 inclusive, on a farm varying from 

 4,150 acres to 8,700 acres with expenditure on 

 n i a n tiros, labour, feeding stuffs, etc., shown for each 

 year. 



I am prepared to submit evidence from my own 

 experience on 



4. The ultra-conservatism and lark of adaptability 

 of the majority of tho farming community. 



8. The increasing lack of skilled labour and 

 apparent callousness of the younger workmen cm- 

 ployed in agriculture. 



6. The extraordinary conditions applied to agri- 

 culture by the Wages Board which to an outsider 



These tables will lie published with Mr. Castell 

 Wrey's later evidence upon them. 



appear irreconcilable to the economic prospects of tho 

 agricultural industry. 



[This concludes the evidence-in-chief.] 



3815. Chiii rm<i n : Yon have been kind enough to 

 submit a short prtcit of what you propose to give 

 evidence upon. May I ask you to be so kind as to 

 tell the Commission whether you have got copies of 

 the cost prices of production for 1917-18 on a 2,700- 

 acre farm? I have 16 copies of each lettered " A." 

 (Handing same.) 



3816. Have you got copies for 1918-19 as far as 

 enip, and seasons will allow? Yes, I have 15 copies 

 of each. (Handing same.) 



3817-18. I think those copies may as well be distri- 

 buted now P Certainly. 



3819. Have you got the balance sheets to which 

 vim refer? Yes; but I have only five copies of 

 those; I have not had time to get any more. (Hand- 

 in i/ ime). 



3820. Would you be so kind, having regard to the 

 fact that we have only got those papers this morn inn, 

 to go through them in the order in whirh your 



it is given, and explain shortly and generally 

 the results at which these statements arrive, and 

 then the procedure would* be that I should ask the 

 Dentil-men on the Commission to address to you any 

 questions which may occur to them in regard to the 

 statements or in regard to the method in which the 

 results are arrived at? 



\l,. Smith: Arising out of that, I think I should 

 ;:ive notice this morning that at the next meeting 

 of the Commission I shall move that we have, this 

 information in our possession so many days prior to 

 the evidence being taken. I think this is a most 

 unfair way so far as procedure is concerned. We 



