944 



Agricultural Advisory Committee. 



[Jan., 



(5) Report of the Royal Commission on the Importation of 

 Store Cattle. — The Minister opened a discussion upon this sub- 

 ject, though he said that he would not ask the Committee for 

 their final views until they had had an opportunity of consulting 

 the Minutes of Evidence which were not yet published. After 

 some expression of views by the members of the Committee, 

 the discussion was adjourned, pending publication of the 

 evidence, and in view of the special meeting of the Council of 

 Agriculture for England on 22nd November (see this Journal^ 

 December, 1921, p. 772). 



(6) Committee on Credit Facilities for Farmers. — In accord- 

 ance with the Eesolution passed in the following terms by the 

 Council of Agriculture for England at its meeting on 

 4th October, 1921 :— 



That in view of the sudden and drastic alteration made 

 by the Government in their agricultural policy, they are 

 hereby respectfully requested to make provision for advances 

 on loan, in approved cases of working capital, to farmers 

 who have recently purchased their holdings, on similar lines 

 to those followed in the case of small-holders, and that the 

 Agricultural Advisory Committee should be asked to appoint 

 a Special Committee of members of this Council to consider 

 whether a sound system of credit can be devised for sub- 

 mission to the Government," 

 a Preliminary Committee w^as set up by the Advisory Com- 

 mittee to consider the personnel of the Special Committee and 

 its terms of reference. This Preliminary Committee recom- 

 mended that the Special Committee should consist of 

 Sir Douglas Newton, Mr. E. W. Langford, Mr. John Eoberts, 

 Mr. G. G. Eea, and Mr. W. K. Smith, M.P., members of the 

 Council, with the addition of Mr. E. Holland Martin, Secretary 

 of the Bankers' Clearing House, and Sir Anker Simmons, 

 Auctioneer and Estate Agent, as co-opted members; and that 

 its terms of reference should be : — 



* ' To consider and report whether in the interests of main- 

 taining production, and to promote employment on the land, 

 it is desirable to revive or to extend the scheme of providing 

 short term credit for farmers which was in operation during 

 the War." 



The Preliminary Committee stated that it had carefully con- 

 sidered the scheme referred to in the suggested reference and 

 was of opinion that a scheme on similar lines would probably 

 meet the needs of the present case, and that any such scheme 

 should be limited to the supply of working capital. 



