Parliamentary Publications. 



259 



fourteen of the sixteen Commissioners. Part V. is signed 

 by ten of the Commissioners whose signatures are appended 

 to the main report. The remaining two Commissioners 

 present separate reports. 



In the main report it is stated that agricultural depression 

 has not equally affected all parts of Great Britain. The 

 situation is regarded as a grave one in the eastern and in 

 some parts of the southern counties of England, while in the 

 arable section of Scotland great losses have also been expe- 

 rienced during the past twelve years. In the pastoral 

 counties the depression is said to be of a milder character, 

 but there, also, farming profit and rents have been largely 

 diminished ; but in districts suitable for dairying, market 

 gardening, and poultry rearing, and in the neighbourhood of 

 large consuming centres there has been relatively less 

 depression than elsewhere. As regards the effects of the 

 depression upon the interests of the classes connected with 

 the land, owners are shown to have been affected by the 

 decline in the rental and capital value of land, and tenant 

 farmers have suffered from the depreciation of the value of 

 farm stock, and the diminution of farming profits. In the 

 case of the agricultural labourer, the effect of the depression 

 has been chiefly seen in a reduction of the number of men 

 employed, and a greater irregularity of employment. 



The Commissioners express their entire concurrence in 

 the opinion that the present crisis in agriculture is due 

 primarily to the fall in prices of agricultural produce. A 

 chapter is devoted to an examination of the changes in the 

 prices of farm products during the past twenty years, and the 

 following general conclusions are arrived at : — 



(a). That the changes in the prices of grain during the past twenty years represent a 

 fall of over 40 per cent, in the three staple cereals, and of over 50 per cent, in 

 the case of wheat. 



(5). That in the price of beef there has been in the same period a fall ranging from 



24 to 40 per cent. , according to quality. 

 (c). That the prices realised for mutton since 1882-84 have exhibited a progressive 



decline of from 20 to 30 per cent. 

 (<^). That there has been a fall in the price of wool amounting to upwards of 50 per 



cent, during the past twenty years. 

 (e). That dairy produce has participated in this depreciation, and that, taking the 



changes in the prices of milk, butter, and cheese as a whole, there has been a 



fall approaching 30 per cent. 



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