]921.] Conciliation Committees in AcRicri.TUUE. 



491 



}0ur area. As you are probably aware, the rates in operation 

 under the Orders of the Aj^'icultural Wages Beard will, on the 

 Bill becoming law, cease to have efl'eet as statutory rates as from 

 the 1st October next. In my view it is of the utmost importance 

 that the representative members of the l^isti'ict Wages Com- 

 mittee should meet as an Interim Joint Conciliation Committee 

 at the earliest possible date with a view to entering into an agree- 

 ment as to the conditions that are to operate in their area is from 

 the 1st October and for such period as may be agreed upon. In 

 this connection the Committee is empowered under Clause 4 (3) 

 of the Bill to make agreements for the whole or for any part of 

 the area for which the Committee is at present acting. Having 

 regard to the short time that is available between now and the 

 1st October, I need hardly urge upon you the importance, in the 

 interests of the industry, of the Interim Joint Conciliation Com- 

 mittee making arrangements on the lines I have indicated above 

 so that no difficulty may arise in the area owing to the cessation 

 of the ^^'ages Board. It will also be appreciated that a temporary 

 arrangement of this kind will give time during which a 

 permanent Committee can be set up, consideration given to the 

 formation of new areas where necessary, and any other difficulties 

 solved . 



The Interim Joint Concihation Committee will, in the circum- 

 stances of the case, start without a Secretary, and in order to 

 rssist the Committee I am giving instructions that the Secretary 

 of the District Wages Committee shall place his services at the 

 disposal of the Joint Conciliation Committee up to the 

 SOth September or until arrangements have been made by the 

 latter for carrying on the necessary secretarial work. The 

 Secretary of the District Wages Committee is accordingly being 

 requested to make the necessary arrangements for convening the 

 first meeting of the Conciliation Committee at as early a date as 

 possible, and he will send you a comm.unication in due course. 



I avail myself of this opportunity to express my thanks to 

 you for the services you have rendered as a representative mem- 

 ber of th'^ District Wages Conmiitlee for your district, and I 

 hope that you may be able to see your way to attend the meeting 

 of the Interim Conciliation Committee which will shortly be 



called. f r 11 



lours faithtully. 



ArTIU'R 0. BOSCAWEN. 



