290 



Meeting of Council of Agricultlre. 



[July, 



Parliamentary Secretary, were also present, and the Minister 

 addressed the Council upon the subject matter of the two 

 resolutions first taken. 



The first resolution proposed to set up a committee to con- 

 sider the constitution and mode of election of the Agricultural 

 Advisory Committee, but was not passed, consideration of the 

 matter being adjourned for twelve months. 



A resolution on the subject of land reclamation was passed 

 to the effect that, with the object of increasing the country's 

 food production, the Government should be requested to initiate 

 schemes when a time opportune for undertaking land reclama- 

 tion had arrived. The question of the powers of Local 

 Authorities to make Orders and Regulations governing the 

 movement of livestock into their areas was discussed and 

 referred to the Agricultural iVdvisory Committee. 



The refusal of the Government to finance small drainage 

 schemes under Sections 15 and 16 of the Land Drainage Act, 

 1918, was also considered, and a resolution was passed 

 requesting the Treasury to reconsider its decision, especially 

 in cases where it could be shown that such schemes are 

 urgently necessary for land improvement and food production. 



Sir Lawrence Weaver, on behalf of the Ministry of Agricul- 

 ture, promised to include in the next Annual Report upon 

 Allotments a return giving particulars in regard to land 

 held by allotment-holders in each County Borough, Borough 

 and Urban District Council on the 31st December last. An 

 amendment that the information should be given for the, 

 previous three years also, if possible, was subsequently passed. 



The question of railway facilities for handling perishable 

 produce was raised in two resolutions to the following effect: — 

 (1) That during the soft fruit season for a period of not- 

 less than five weeks in each year all railway goods stations 

 handling substantial consignments of soft fruit should be kept 

 open for this purpose for the same hours as before the War*,; 

 and (2) That in the opinion of this Council all railway goods 

 stations at which perishable produce is dispatched or received 

 should be connected to the public telephone forthwith. Both 

 were carried. 



The final resolution dealt with the question of the retention 

 by the Ministry of a woman officer for women's work in agri- 

 cultural districts. It ran as follows: — " That this Council, 

 while fully approving the action of the Government in reducing 



