100 THE MINORITY REPORT 



of national policy, be accompanied by such legislative 

 support to agriculture as will ensure a reasonable 

 measure of stability to the whole industry, and especi- 

 ally to the arable farming which will be most affected 

 by a rise in wages. Agricultural prosperity cannot be 

 brought about by piecemeal legislation passed in the 

 interests of only one of the classes connected with the 

 soil. We have to consider its effect on the other 

 classes as well. 



37. The principal danger which we foresee from a 

 system of wage boards is that farmers, fearing the 

 effect of such legislation, may reduce the number of 

 their employees by laying down more land to grass. 

 If this were to be done the result would be a smaller, 

 although better paid, agricultural population. But, 

 in our opinion, it is in the interests of the Nation as a 

 whole to increase and not to reduce the size of the 

 agricultural population as well as the acreage of 

 arable land. If agriculture be considered from the 

 national standpoint, it is worth the Nation's wkile, 

 as a matter of high policy, to give the industry such 

 support as will enable it to afford reasonable condi- 

 tions of life to its workers. We consider, therefore, 

 that it will be necessary to associate with the mini- 

 mum-wage legislation other measures calculated to 

 give the farmer, especially the arable farmer, sufficient 

 security and stability of prices for his produce to 

 enable him to pay an adequate wage to his employees. 

 These measures we indicate in later portions of this 

 Report. 



38. We agree with paragraph 154 (as to bonus to 

 labourers) and with paragraphs 165 to 161, relating 



