THE SONS OF TOIL. 163 



had been made easy by the Agricultural Wages Board. 

 They had got over their difficulties in friendly discussion, 

 very different from what might have been the case." 



By Landowners. 



"The agricultural structure can only be sound if the 

 foundation is sound. The foundation is the agricultural 

 worker. The agricultural labourer must have a sound 

 economic position if the agricultural prosperity of the 

 country is to be developed." 



" In the past agricultural discussion had taken place in 

 water-tight compartments. The landowners, the farmers 

 and the workers, who were a silent but thoughtful race, each 

 held their views, but had not heard those of others." 



" Land agents had been brought into being because the 

 landlords did not know their job." 



" The farmer must look to the organisation of his labour, 

 and the industry must also be organised." 



" The extra margin of profit to pay the minimum wage was 

 to be found by co-operation. There must be a certain 

 number of middlemen, but to-day we are carrying on our 

 backs far too many ; when they are eliminated there will 

 be scope to find good wages." 



" I accept the order of the worker first, farmer second, and 

 landlord third." 



" Farmers must be willing to have the costs of production 

 gone into, and must keep accounts that could be investi- 

 gated." 



" A previous speaker's idea of the millennium seemed to 

 be that the farmer and the labourer should divide the profits, 

 and the devil, or the Government, should take the land. 

 Land has been offered to tenants on terms little higher than 

 those suggested, but those extremely stupid people had said 

 they would rather be under a good landlord." 



" Production is more important than the system of 

 tenure." 



" Farmers and landowners must face the fact that the 

 standard of remuneration of labour will be higher in the 

 future than in the past. They would have to look largely 



