10 



ROT II "MM N iOKK ! I IT UK. 



14 Uttofer, 



Mu. JAME* GAI:I>M.I: 



im Scotland working now? Are they 60, the MIUO as 

 in England:- -Kim hour* throughout the year it the 

 avcrago. It it 60 hours from stable to stable. 



12.883. But the wuiie boun operate with regard to 

 the general labourer as the horseman? \\nli tins 

 difference, that the hnrM-iuan has stable hours in 

 addition to the hours that the ordinary labourer 

 work*. 



18.884. Then the stableman ..ik- .n tu.ilU i..i 

 more than 60 houraP Yes. 



12,886. Then you hare an advantage over England 

 in that respect? I understand we hare. 



12.886. That is why I could not understand. !>. 

 I understand that you are quite prepared to agree 

 to some reduction, from those present hours, because 

 you use the words " any considerable "? You might 

 nak that question again, please P 



13.887. Is your Union prepared for any reduction 

 at all, and would they willingly agree to any reduction 

 at nil with regard to the hours of labour in Scotland ? 

 Under the 50 hours ? 



ll'.-yg. Yes? I think not. 



12,889. Then why do not you say go, because you 

 give an entirely erroneous impression when you say, 

 " I'ndor present conditions, however, any consider- 

 able reduction is impracticable." Would it not be 

 tan, r l-o .-ay " any .eduction "I Any further rvduc- 

 tiou. I should like to say this, that if hours are to 

 be interfered with in any manner by the Govern- 

 ment, we do not want to have that at all. If there 

 i-i to be any alteration in the hours in the way of 

 any further reduction, it must be a matter of free 

 bargaining on the Conciliation Committee between the 

 i:-ii anil the masters themselves. There must be no 

 interference by the Government. 



li'.-iH). I put it to you that the reduction in hours 

 \ crv iiuieli more serious matter to the tanner 

 than the wages question? Very much more serious 

 in agriculture. 



12.891. In other words, if you had to submit to .1 

 rather higher wage, you would rather submit to that 

 than Ui a reduction in the present lt..uis.- Yes. 



12.892. Do you agree with me that it is impossible 

 to industrialise farm hours? Absolutely. 



12.893. Mr. Pross. I !; >1 you to admit ilia 

 the workers in agricultuie wen behind other indus- 

 tries both as regards. hours and wages. Do vou admit 

 it? -No. 



12.894. Do you agree with me that, taking intv 

 consideration inclement weather when farm labourers 

 cannot work, their hours are more favourable than 

 in any other industry? I should not like to mane 

 a pronouncement of that kind as to whether they ore 

 more favourable or less favourable. What r do know 

 is that, on the whole, the agricultural worker or 

 farmer in Scotland will compare, on the average, 

 c;uit well with the average industrial worker. 



12.895. I suppose you have to pay them in Scot- 

 land if they present themselves for work, whether it 

 is wet or dry? Yes, we do. 



12.896. There is no lost time? There is no lost 

 time. 



12.897. In most other industries where the weather 

 liters into the question at all, if they present thcin- 

 MelveN i>r not. if they cannot work they loss the time. 

 but in agriculture they get paid: That i> .subject 

 to an exception in the cnso of women workers on 

 none fariiLs and in connection with casual woi 



only work outside when it is ilry. and in main 

 parts of Scotland wo do not pay them foi 

 wealli'-r , Inn they are mostly tin- wives nnd daughtcr- 

 of n. en employed on the farms. 



12.898. But under the Corn Production 



man presents himself on the farm for work you are 

 booad to pay him, and in KngUunl we !< I ! 

 know whether you do or not in - 

 our men whole time, except Homo of the casual men 

 who come from towns. 



12. c of course, that in the build- 



ing trade, and other tr men are frequently 



ihtii -.ns*|tien. wrt or 



i of thinv 



12.UUU. And they lose the time I uteee iuc\ can 

 put nine upou the liiue-aheet which they have, actually 

 worked, they do not, got paid lor it.- lliat is BO. 



12,iH)l. In that respect the farm labourer, although 

 apparently rxviving lefc per hour for lii.s work, get* 

 liis p.cv regularly, wet or dry, frost or sunshine, and 

 hus wages will compart) favourably with men in many 

 oilier industries who uro shut out in inclement 

 neat he r I' That is SO. 



12,1X12. With regard to pre-war farming, so far a* 

 1 understand, you in Scotland would be prepared to 

 go back to those free condition*:- Quite prepared. 



li'.i.HKJ. Hut it you are tied in some respects, you 

 then oak that your commodities shall be sold ut such 

 a price iu> will admit ol your having a Ian and legiti- 

 mate profit? Certainly. 



H. In other words, it your labour is paid by 

 a statutory wage and a statutory week, inasmuch ., 

 that enters largely into the costing product 101. 

 ask for some protection with regard to your p; 

 Yes. 



12,905. Mr. Ltnnuid: In your evidence-in-, luel you 

 speak of agricultural education. Do you think the 

 need is for more training in agricultural science, or 

 tor more demonstration of the effect of appl\ing 

 scientific principles to agriculture I- Both. 



12,900. Putting it concretely, do you want better 

 agricultural colleges, or more and better demonstra- 

 tion farms? In Scotland 1 think we have thnv 

 agricultural colleges and a demonstration farm. 

 These agiicultural colleges are doing work which 

 i on Id not be excelled ; but it has not permeated down 

 to the rank and file of agriculture, unless in a general 

 way through the Press. There is certainly a very- 

 great need for lectures and demonstrations in the 

 actual application ol the -cii in e. There is a very 

 great field in Scotland for that. 



12,907. You appreciate, do you, the difference be- 

 tween a college farm which may demonstrate am 

 successful enterprises and at the same time on adjoin' 

 ing plots be exhibiting experiments which, however 

 necessary they may be to the work of agricultural 

 research, may not themselves be financially succc 

 I suggest to you that perhaps there is a greater need 

 for farms which would simply demonstrate the com- 

 mercial possibilities of the achieved certainties of 

 4-iciMV which would bo .strictly commercial ;- 

 Perhaps on a small scale. A proposal such a* you 

 suggest on a large scale would not, I think, he 

 economical. I think when an experiment is Miffi- 

 ciently demonstrated to be successful and economic on 

 a college farm, the average farmer in Scotland has 

 not a very great deal of difficulty in potting it put 

 into practice; and. if I understand your question 

 right, K farm such as you suggest would be a com- 

 mercially run farm but would take into account the 

 latest experiment* and their results -those that were 

 most successful to prove as it were to tho farming 

 oommnnitv that this thing could l>e done, nnd done 

 -fully and at n profit, and you would lia\< 

 t farms running in different parts of the 

 country proving this proposition. Is that your sug- 

 'ii ? 



12.0OS. Yen? So far as tin avenge farmer in 



M.erned. T think if y your 



experiment at the college farm, and more especially if 



vou prove it in different parts .if Ibe- country, you 



would not require those other demonstration farms 



IOVP the thing commercially. They would ;:et 



it within one or two or tin. if then- i- 



aiiy money in it. 



*> on do not think a conjunction of sii. 

 fill experiment*, with -.Mly ..\|>ciimcnts which ma\ 

 not pay their way, sometimes has the effect of 

 frightening the farmer from adopting practices which 

 really have proved their value to agriculture I 

 your suggestion would take into account a new 

 development in auric-lilt lire, such a-, say. the Crowing 



,,f I tv.Kit which would work in agriculture alonu 



with industrial enterprise. 1 admit the growing of 

 Wtroot for migar in this country, which Ims IM-.-H 

 :. -rilly untiicvl and the growing of potatoes for 

 In- manufacture of farina and things like that which 

 would verv "inch increase the growing of cerenls in 



