1922.1 



Labour on the Farm. 



807 



Labour Bill, 



per acre, 

 actualhi paid 



Gross Income 



per acre. 

 £ s. (1. 



17 19 1 



Net Output, 



per acre. 

 £ s. d. 



4 2 1 



H.N.O. 



1 8 6 



W.A.R. ... 1 16 3 ... y 18 9 ... 5 2 1 

 J.H.S 1 19 8 ... 9 12 8 ... 3 18 



Had labour on these farms been paid on results at average rates 

 comparable to those paid on the whole of the farms, one would 

 have felt that on H.N.O. a labour bill of approximately £S 15s., 

 on W.A.E. of approximately £3 7s. 6d., and on J.H.S. of 

 approximately £2 17s. 6d., could not have been considered too 

 high. 



Conclusions. — In our opinion the following conclusions may 

 be drawn from this examination of farm accounts in Yorkshire : — 

 a. From the outbreak of the War up to the year 1918 labour 

 was not getting its fair share of the increased prosperity of 

 the farms. 



h. It was not until January, 1920, that the increase in 

 wages on the farm had actually risen in proportion to the 

 increase of the cost of living. 



c. At the time of the abolition of the Agricultural Wages 

 Board the percentage increase in farm wages was approxi- 

 mately 20 points above the percentage increase in the cost of 

 living, and in April, 1922, at least 45 points above. 



d. If the claim be admitted that labour is entitled to a wage 

 proportionate to the increased cost of living, on present rates 

 it would not be until April, 1923, that the surplus it has 

 obtained since January, 1920, would counterbalance the deficit 

 from the outbreak of the War un to Januarv, 1920. 



e. The maximum percentage increase in farm wages since 

 the outbrerak of the War has agreed very closely with that 

 which has obtained in other industries. 



/. The percentage increase in the farm wages which were 

 being paid in April, 1922, was apparently higher than in 

 m.any other industries. 



g. During the year 1919-20 labour took on the average 

 49 per cent., during 1920-21 78 per cent., and during 1921-22 

 84 per cent, of the net output. 



h. During the last two years it has been getting more than 

 the industry could reasonably be expected to grant. 



?. On any well managed farm the labour bill will be deter- 

 mined by (1) the size of the farm, (2^ the proportion of the 

 land under grass, and (3) the system of farming adopted. 



