I920.J 



Editorial Notes. 



965 



The Interim Report of the Royal Commission makes the 

 following recommendations : — 



(1) That, subject to the conditions set out in the follow- 

 ing paragraphs, minimum prices for wheat, barley, 

 and oats grown in Great Britain be guaranteed by 

 the State, on the same principle and conditions as 

 are laid down in Part I. of the Corn Production Act, 

 1 91 7, the producer being allowed an unrestricted 

 market for his produce, but the State retaining the 

 right to control prices in case of national emergency. 



(2) That barley should be dealt with in the same manner 



as wheat under Section i of the Corn Production 

 Act, payment of four times the difference between the 

 average price as defined in the Act and the guaranteed 

 minimum price per quarter being made in respect of 

 that cereal. 



(3) That for the grain crops of 1920 and subsequent years 



the guarantees be calculated from year to year on a 

 sliding scale based on the average bare costs of cereal 

 production of the preceding year, rent being disre- 

 garded for this purpose ; and that the datum line to 

 which increases or decreases in the average costs of 

 the 1920 grain crops above or below those of 1919 

 should be applied, shall be 68s. per quarter of 504 lb. 

 of wheat, 59s. per quarter of 448 lb. of barley, and 

 46s. per quarter of 336 lb. of oats. 



(4) That the guarantees be continued until ParUament 



otherwise decides, subject to not less than four years' 

 notice of withdrawal being given. 



(5) That, if found necessary, the powers under Part IV. 



of the Corn Production Act be extended so as to 

 enable the Boards of Agriculture or the County Com- 

 mittees to take eliective action against any landowner 

 or farmer who impedes or neglects to carry out the 

 Orders issued by them for the better cultivation of 

 the holding. 



(6) That any payment in respect of the guaranteed prices 



be dependent upon the production of a certificate 

 from the Department concerned to the effect : — 

 {a) That the holding in respect of wliich payment 

 under the guarantees is claimed has been well 

 cultivated and an adequate amount of labour 

 employed upon it, or that such labour was not 

 available ; and 



