488 



Conciliation Committees in AoKicuLTfiRE. 



[Sept., 



CONCILIATION COMMITTEES IN 

 AGRICULTURE. 



The following Memorandum explains the provisions of Sec- 

 tion 4 of the Corn Production Acts (Kepeal) Act, 1921, but it is 

 not in any sense a legal interpretation of its terms. 



1. The Act cited above brings to an end as from 1st October, 

 1921, the Agricultural Wages Board and the District Wages 

 Committees. In place of these, the Act provides for the formation 

 of local joint Conciliation Committees in various areas for the 

 purposes and with the powers described below, and the Minister 

 of Agriculture is empowered by the Act to take such steps as 

 he may think best calculated to secure the voluntary formation 

 and continuance of the Conciliation Committees. 



2. The Conciliation Committees will consist of representatives 

 of employers and of workmen, and they will deal with rates of 

 wages, hours of labour and conditions of employment. 



3. Until a Conciliation Committee as above is formed 

 in an area, the persons who on the date of the pass-ing 

 of the Act were representatives of employers and work- 

 ,men (but not the appointed members) on the District W^ages 

 Committee for the area will be an Interim Conciliation Com- 

 mittee for any part of the area for which a Conciliation Com- 

 mittee has not been formed. No such Interim Committee may 

 continue after two years from date of passing of Act. 



4. Any vacancy occurring on an Interim Conciliation Com- 

 mittee will be filled by the Organisation by v>hom the vacating 

 member was nominated, and until December 1st, 1921, aaiy 

 member of an Interim Conciliation Committee may be replaced 

 by some other representative of the Organisation (either of 

 employers or of w^orkmen) by which he was nominated to the 

 District Wages Committee. 



5. The representatives of employers and vvorknien will respec- 

 tively have one collective vote on any question. In other words, 

 no resolution will be regarded as carried unless it has been 

 approved by a majority of the members on each side. 



6. A Conciliation Committee may appoint an independent 

 Chairman. The Chairman so appointed may not be pfiven power 

 to vote except in respect to any particular matter as the Com- 

 mittee may determine. 



7. It is contemplated that, by agreement, Concihation Com- 

 mittees may be formed for smaller areas than those of the present 

 District Wages Committee, and a Committee may make separate 

 agreements for any part of the area for which it is formed. 



