1909-] Agricultural Labour in England. 



775 



The Board of Agriculture and Fisheries have been fur- 

 nished by the Board of Trade with the following report, 

 based on about 210 returns from corre- 

 Agricultural Labour spondents in various districts, on the 

 in England demand for agricultural labour in 



during December. December : — - 



Employment was, in general, regular throughout 

 December, but in most districts day labourers lost 

 time at the end of the month through the severe weather. In many districts 

 the demand for men of that class was not sufficient to give employment to all. 



A comparative statement of wages paid to ordinary agricultural labourers 

 in December, 1908, and December, 1907, was shown on 195 Returns. Of 

 these 174 showed no change, 2 showed an upward movement, while 19 showed 

 a downward movement, 6 of the 19 related to districts in Norfolk, where a 

 winter reduction of is. a week was made in 1908 which had not been made 

 in 1907. 



Northern Counties. — Employment was fairly regular in Northumberland, 

 Cumberland, and Westmorland, in which counties the supply of labour was 

 fully equal to a somewhat limited demand. Threshing and other work 

 provided a fair amount of employment in Lancashire. A number of agricultural 

 labourers were reported to be in irregular work in Yorkshire, partly on account 

 of stormy weather at the end of the month, which caused day labourers to 

 lose time, and partly on account of an insufficient demand for their services. 



Midland Counties. — Unfavourable weather interrupted the employment of 

 day labourers at the end of the month in Cheshire and Derbyshire, where 

 there was only a moderate demand for this class of labour. Threshing, 

 root-lifting, and manure-carting provided fairly regular employment in Notting- 

 hamshire and Leicestershire. There was- a fair demand for day labourers 

 in Staffordshire and Shropshire, but in many districts the supply was more 

 than sufficient. A few day labourers were in irregular employment in 

 Worcestershire and Warwickshire. There was generally regular work for 

 agricultural labourers in Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire until the end of 

 the month, when the weather caused day labourers to lose time. In Bucking- 

 hamshire the demand for day labourers was not equal to the supply, and some 

 men were consequently in irregular work. Employment was generally regular 

 in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire, except during the last week, when day 

 labourers lost time through wet and snowy weather ; the supply of labour 

 was about equal to the demand. 



Eastern Counties. — Threshing, hedging-, ditching, &c, caused a fairly good 

 demand for extra labour in Huntingdonshire and Cambridgeshire, and little 

 or no surplus was reported. Employment was generally regular in Lincoln- 

 shire, with the supply of labour about equalled by the demand ; in the Lincoln 

 Union a correspondent stated that more day labourers could have been 

 employed. Work on the root crops, threshing, carting manure, hedging-, and 

 ditching offered a good deal of employment in Norfolk and Suffolk ; in several 

 districts, however, the demand for extra labourers was affected by the forward 

 state of work, and there was a consequent irregularity of employment for 

 some men of this class. Employment was fairly regular in Essex, but owing 

 to the forward state of work the supply of day labourers was somewhat 

 in excess of requirements, and in addition some men of this class were 

 hindered at the end of the month by bad weather. 



Southern and South-Western Counties. — Employment was fairly regular in 

 Kent; a number of day labourers, however, were unable to get regular work, 

 on account of an insufficient demand. Threshing, hedge-trimming, and manure- 



