230 



Agricultural Labour in July. 



agricultural banks in congested districts. The Board has 

 also voted a sum of ;£2,ooo to be lent out in sums of ^^50 to 

 agricultural banks in congested districts. 



Co-operative poultry societies^ have been established in 

 three localities and several of the existing agricultural 

 societies have also taken up this branch of business. In the 

 first instance it has been decided to confine their operations 

 to the sale of eggs, as it is considered to be the more 

 important branch of the industry and presents less difficulties 

 than the fattening and sale of table fowls. It is expected 

 that the poultry and egg industry will, by means of these 

 societies, be materially developed and improved during the 

 current year, especially in poor and congested districts. By 

 the rules of the co-operative poultry associations the eggs must 

 be delivered fresh and clean ; they are purchased by weight, 

 properly sorted and packed, and the supplies are, as in the 

 case of dairies, paid for in cash according to the quality of the 

 eggs delivered, any profit arising from the business being 

 divided amongst the members. 



The other societies embraced under the heading " Mis- 

 cellaneous " include two pig-feeders' associations and five 

 societies for the development of home industries. 



Agricultural Labour in July. 



The agricultural correspondent to the Labour Department 

 of the Board of Trade, in his monthly report on agricultural 

 labour, which is based on 250 returns from various parts of 

 the country, stated that, generally speaking, agricultural 

 labourers were very regularly employed during July, getting 

 in the hay crop and also at hoeing. The weather during the 

 month was very favourable for outdoor employment. In 

 the Western Counties harvest began during the last w^eek 

 of July, and at the end of July oats had begun to be cut in 

 some of the Eastern and Home Counties. Reports from all 

 parts of the country show^ed that the corn crops were 

 generally heavy, but that they were a good deal laid in 



