914 The Agricultukal Couxcil for England. [Jan., 



rightly, than the ordinary members of the pubUc; but I per- 

 sonally do welcome this opportunity of the Department coming 

 into contact with this Council in order that you may recognise 

 our difficulties, and, I hope, the sincerity of our desire to assist 

 the industry, even when we do not always do exactly what you 

 wish. On the other hand, we shall get from you a direct expres- 

 sion of the wishes and views of the industry, and, if necessary, 

 be able to explain to you face to face what we can do and why 

 possibly we cannot go in the direction that you desire. Hitherto 

 this contact between the outside and inside, if I may so describe * 

 it, has largely been conducted through the medium of parlia- 

 mentary questions, and so forth ; but I am sure you realise that 

 in these circumstances the Government or the Department con- 

 cerned is necessarily and officially on the defensive, and I am 

 not sure that that is the best way of exchanging confidence and 

 views. This is an entirely different method, and I think a much 

 better one. For that reason, as I say, I greatly welcome on 

 behalf of the Department the assistance and guidance of this 

 Council. 



These ideas, which I have ventured to outline, materialised in 

 the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Act of last year which . 

 set up this Council and which prescribed how it should be con- 

 stituted. It consists, as you know% of two members from each 

 County Agricultural Committee, six members from the Agricul- 

 tural Wages Board, and 36 members nominated by the Minister, 

 and that is the body which has met here for the first time to-day. 



May I say at this point one word about the composition of the 

 Council, and particularly wdth regard to the Minister's nominees. 

 The duty was placed upon me by Parliament to select 36 mem- 

 bers of this Council. It is true that there are certain statutory 

 qualifications with regard to representation of certain branches 

 of the industry, and so forth. Those, of course, I have strictly 

 observed. But discretion as to selection was deliberately placed 

 by Parliament in my hands, as the responsible Minister for the 

 time being, and I have endeavoured to discharge that responsi- 

 bility with due regard to all the interests concerned. I am aw^are 

 that in so doing I have incurred — and I do not complain — 

 criticism in some quarters, because the nominations I have 

 made may or may not meet with the full approval of this or 

 that interest. But. ladies and gentlemen, w^hilst that is a matter 

 upon which I am quite prepared to receive criticism. I am not 

 prepared to surrender my responsibility: but I say this, quite 

 sincerely, that in making my selections I have been animated 



