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15(4 , 
 
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 BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME G>P THE 
 
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 HENRY W. SAGE 
 
 1891 
 
MM 53 
 
 22/6/14 
 
 THE TARIFF COMMISSION 
 
 SECOND REPORT OF THE AGRICULTURAL 
 
 COMMITTEE 
 
 The considerations set forth in this report show that the restoration of British agriculture 
 to its proper and historic place in the national economy requires the adoption of an agricultural 
 tariff and in its general outlines the policy set forth in the report of this Committee of 1906 and 
 now confirmed. 
 
 CONXENI'S 
 
 A. NATIONAL IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURE 4 
 
 B. CHANGES SINCE 1906 5 
 
 C. POLICY IN RELATION TO THE PRESENT POSITION 7 
 
 D. AGRICULTURAL RATES 13 
 
 APPENDIX 21 
 
 POBLISHBD FOR ThE TaBUF COMMISSION BY 
 
 P. S. KING & SON, 
 
 2 & 4, Gkbat Smith Stkbet, Westminster, S.W. 
 
 Price 3d. 
 
A 
 
 The original^gy^l^book is in 
 the Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924032519534 
 
THE TARIFE COMMISSION. 
 
 At a Meeting of the Tariff Commission held on the 12th March, 19lS 
 it was unanimously resolved : — 
 
 " That iSL Meeting of the Agricultural Committee be called as 
 early as possible for the purpbse of inquiring whether and how far 
 the recommendations made by the Agricultural Committee in their 
 Report of 1906 have been affected by the changed conditions which 
 have arisen since its publication." 
 
 The following report dra^vn up in accordance with the above resolution 
 was presented to the Tariff Commission at a meeting held on the 17th of 
 June, 1914, and was approved and ordered to be published. 
 
 SECOND EEPOET OE THE AGRICULTURAL COMMITTEE. 
 
 1 . Having carefully considered the instructions of the Tariff Commission, 
 contained in the Resolution of the 12th March, which has been referred to us, 
 we came at once to this conclusion : That in view of our last Report, which 
 dealt so fully with almost every question affecting Agriculture, it was desirable 
 to avoid taking further evidence on questions we had previously thoroughly 
 examined, unless it was essential. We have, however, examined, orally or 
 otherwise, witnesses where we thought it necessary; we have held twelve 
 meetings, and we report accordingly. 
 
A. National Importance of Agriculture. 
 
 Importance 2. Much that has happened in this and other countries since the 
 
 Measured by 
 
 Population pubhcation of our Report has tended to emphasise the importance of the 
 
 agricultural industry in a progressive community. In the United Kingdom 
 agriculture remains the industry which employs by far the largest number 
 of people. The returns prepared for the Census of Production by the Board 
 of Agriculture for Great Britain and by the Department of Agriculture for 
 Ireland show that in the United Kingdom in 1908 there were upwards of 
 2,800,000 persons engaged in agriculture. This total is made up of 1,840,000 
 for Great Britain, including 500,000 occupiers of holdings, and 984,000 
 persons in Ireland. The British industries which come next to agriculture 
 in point of view of employment are the iron and steel, engineering and ship- 
 building industries, whicli according to the Census of Production Returns 
 for 1907 together employ 1,539,000 persons, while those engaged in the 
 textile industries number 1,253,000 ; mines and quarries, 965,000 ; building, 
 514,000 (excluding employees of local authorities, of gas, water and electricity 
 undertakings, and of canal and harbour companies). 
 
 Value of 3. The output of agriculture is also larger in volume and greater in value 
 
 than that of any other industry. After deducting the value of raw materials 
 brought on the farms from outside (that is to say, not from other farms), 
 it is estimated from the special reports prepared for the Census of Production 
 that the value in 1908 of the agricultural products sold off the farms in the 
 United Kingdom was of the value of 160 millions sterling, made up of £115 
 millions from great Britain, and £45 millions from Ireland. The total value 
 of the output of other industries included in the Census was £762 millions, that 
 is to say the value of the output of agriculture was more than one-sixth 
 of Lhat of all Britisli industries combined. The combined net output 
 of the iron and steel, engineering and shipbuilding trades was £153,000,000, 
 that of mines and quarries £120,000,000 and that of the textile trades 
 £94,000,000. 
 
 vaMje"'* 4. Still another measure is the rateable value of agricultural property 
 
 as compared with all other property. In 1912 the rateable value of agricul- 
 
tural land in England and Wales was £24 millions. Allowing an additional 
 50 per cent, for the rateable value of buildings and other rateable agricultural 
 property, the total is £36 millions. For the whole of England and Wales 
 the rateable value was £221 millions, so that the rateable value of agricultural 
 property is rather less than one-sixth of the total. 
 
 5. Apart from the statistics, it is generally recognised that in the United f^p^rtTnce 
 Kingdom agriculture occupies an essential part in the national economy, culture' 
 while the insular position of the United Kingdom makes it especially incum- 
 bent upon British statesmen to preserve agriculture in a prosperous condition 
 as a source of supply both of men and food. 
 
 B. Changes Since 1906. 
 
 6. The changes which have taken place in the agricultural situation character 
 '^ . ^ * of Changes 
 
 since the publication of our Report in 1906 are partly administrative and 
 legislative, and partly economic. Most of the conditions, however, remain 
 substantially the same as seven years ago. This is apparent from the follow- 
 ing statement of conclusions taken from the Agricultural Committee's Report 
 of 1906, to which have been added notes showing the position to-day and its 
 relation to the earlier year. 
 
 Conclusions of 1906. Present Position (1913). 
 
 (1) The production of wheat in the United (1) There has been some slight increase in the Wheal and 
 Kingdom, which in the period 1841-5 was supply of home-grown wheat in recent years, other Com 
 sufficient for 24 million persons, or nearly 90 per but at the present time the proportion is sub- Cr<yps 
 cent, of the population, has since that time stantially the same as in 1906. 
 
 steadily declined, until home-grown wheat 
 feeds little more than 4| millions, or 10-6 per 
 cent, of the population. 
 
 (2) With the single exception of oats in (2) Measured by area under cultivation the 
 England, all other corn crops in the United tendency in recent years has been towards a 
 Kingdom show considerable decUne, though in no slight increase under wheat and decreases under 
 case to the same extent - as wheat. Taking barley and oats. 
 
 corn crops as a whole, the area cultivated has 
 declined 3 million acres, or nearly 30 per cent., 
 in the last thirty years. 
 
6 
 
 Conclusions of 19Qg. 
 
 (3) Ttis serious reduction in corn cultivation 
 has synchronised during the last thirty years 
 wi|;h a decline amounting to over pne-sixth in 
 the area under green crops. 
 
 (4) The area under grass has increased by 
 nearly one-third in the same period ; this 
 increase has not sufficed to make up for the 
 decline in arable cultivation, and the quantity 
 of meat produced from home-fed stock has only 
 increased by less than 5 per cent. 
 
 (5) Whereas home-fed meats represented 85 
 per cent, of the total consumption thirty years 
 ago, they now represent 55 per cent. only. 
 
 (6) The importations of dairy produce have 
 increased about 140 per cent, during the last 
 thirty years, and dairy-farmers in most parts 
 of the United Kingdom have been led to devote 
 themselves more and more to milk farming, 
 in which foreign competition has not developed 
 to any extent. 
 
 (7) The dependence of the United Kingdom 
 upon imported food supplies of all kinds has 
 increased from 124 to 205 millions sterling 
 since 1875, and, allowing for the fall in prices, 
 the volume of food imports is estimated to have 
 increased during the same period by 130 per 
 cent., or nearly four times as much as the 
 increase in population. 
 
 (8) The foreign producer, especially of wheat 
 and meat, has not only supplied the increased 
 British home demand due to increased population 
 and increased consuming power of the popula- 
 tion, but has also taken from the British farmer 
 a large part of the market upon which, having 
 no export trade, his existence depends. 
 
 Present PqsixiflN '(191-3). 
 
 (3) Green crops in general show a decline. 
 Taking corn and green crops together, it is 
 seen that comparing the average for 1909-13 
 with that for' 1901-5 the decline is about 
 170,000 acres, and this is, of course, in addition 
 to the decline of 4,000,000 acres which took 
 place between 1871-5 and 1901-5. Separating 
 Ireland from Great Britain, the same declining 
 tendency is observed in both divisions of the 
 United Kingdom, though it is somewhat more 
 decided in Ireland. Taking a survey of the 
 whole period since 1875, the remarkable feature 
 is that the Recline should have persisted in 
 recent years in spite of the assumed improve- 
 ment of general agricultural conditions. 
 
 (4) There is a tendency to increase in the area Grass and 
 under grass, the increase amounting in Great Meat 
 Britain to over 480,000 acres as between 1901-5 
 
 and 1909-13. In the case of Ireland, although 
 the official returns would seem to show a dechne 
 of nearly 2 million acres under permanent 
 pastures, this is almost entirely accounted for 
 by a change in the basis of the Irish statistics. 
 There is a continued decline, however, in the 
 number of sheep and pigs in Great Britain, 
 while the number of cattle remains stationary. 
 The quantity of meat produced from home-fed 
 stock in the United Kingdom has increased 
 by only 2 per cent, between 1901-5 and 1909-13. 
 
 (5) The dependence of the United Kingdom 
 upon home supplies of meat has continued 
 to decrease, and in 1909-13 averaged only 
 about 53 per cent, of the total consumption. 
 
 (6) Our dependence on imported dairy pro- Dairy 
 duce has also continued to increase. The total Produce 
 for 1913 was over £7,000,000 in excess of that 
 forl905. 
 
 (7) There has been a further large increase Dependence 
 in importations of agricultural produce, which on Imported 
 in 1913 amounted to £249 milhons, or nearly Food 
 £45,P00,000 more than in 1905. 
 
 (8) This condition of things has continued 
 in increasing proportion since 1905, and it is 
 more than ever apparent that a large part of the 
 produce now imported could be raised in this 
 country to the great advantage of every British 
 interest. 
 
CONCLUSIO^JJS OF 1906. 
 
 (9) Agriculture in almost every branch shows 
 a great decline, despite a very large increase 
 ill tjie populg,tion and a consequent increase 
 in the demand for agricultural produce. 
 
 (10) There has been a general fall of prices 
 during the last 30 years due to monetary and 
 other causes affecting nearly all commodities, 
 and fluctuations of this character are to be 
 anticipated in the future. But the prime cause 
 of the decline in agriculture is the greater fall, 
 especially in the case of corn, in agricultural 
 prices than in prices generally. 
 
 (11) In the case of agriculture the effect of 
 the fall in prices has been accentuated by other 
 causes, such as (A) the greater relative increase 
 in the burden of local and Imperial taxation 
 upon the land ; (B) transport conditions ; 
 and (C) the inability of the Board of Agri- 
 culture to aid the British farmer as his foreign 
 competitors are aided. 
 
 (12) The position of the United Kingdom is 
 absolutely exceptional. No other country shows 
 so marked a decline of agriculture ; no other 
 country depends to so large an extent upon 
 importations from abroad for its food supply ; 
 in no other country has the balance between 
 agriculture and manufacturing industries been 
 so completely disturbed to the disadvantage of 
 agriculture. This remarkable decHne of agri- 
 culture is not alone a menace to national 
 security, but by restricting the home market must 
 have a most prejudicial effect upon the general 
 industry of the country. 
 
 Present Position (1913). 
 
 (9) In Ireland there has been some real im- Agriculture 
 provement in agriculture, mainly due to the generally 
 beneficial effects of remedial legislation and 
 
 the guidance of State and public-spirited 
 individuals. As regards the rest of the United 
 Kingdom the position has since 1905 undergone 
 some improvement, but is still very far below 
 the standard of 35 years ago, and shows an 
 increasing failure to keep pace with the needs 
 of a growing industrial population. 
 
 (10) An entire change has taken place in Prices 
 regard to prices. The long-prevailing and 
 continuous fall in prices has given way to a 
 general rise in recent years, affecting what the 
 farmer buys as well as what he sells. Until 
 quite recently wages have, on the whole, lagged 
 considerably behind the rise of prices ; but 
 during the last year the evidence and statistics 
 point to a distinct upward movement in wages 
 
 also. 
 
 (11) The burden of local and Imperial Taxation 
 taxation falling on the agricultural industry has 
 become more severe in recent years. Accorjiing 
 to the figures in the latest available official 
 returns the rates raised per head of the popula- 
 tion in rural districts have increased between 
 1901-2 and 1910-11 by IQs. 6d. per annum. 
 This represents an increase in the rate burden 
 of about £2 per adult male. The experience 
 of agriculturists is that the increases in freight 
 charges on home railways under the Act of 1912 
 impose a further serious burden on their 
 industry. 
 
 (12) There has been no lessening since 1905 
 of the national and Imperial menace involved 
 in the neglect of agriculture, and its comparative 
 decline contrasts most strikingly with the 
 thriving conditions of agriculture in other 
 leading industrial nations of the world. 
 
 C. Policy in Relation to the Present Position, 
 7. The course of development of British agriculture, as shown by the The proposaJs 
 foregoing statements and the events which have taken place since 1906, 
 emphasises the importance at the present time of a fiscal pohcy in broad 
 
outline similar to that of our Report of 1906. The policy was outlined in 
 paragraph 364, dealing with Remedial Measures, in these words : — 
 
 " We are of opinion that, for removing the disabilities under which 
 British agriculturists suffer, a change in the fiscal policy of the country 
 is absolutely necessary, but if this change is to be permanently effective 
 it must be combined with measures dealing with transport, the enlarge- 
 ment of the powers of the Board of Agriculture, and local taxation. 
 We are also of opinion that the position of the industry generally would 
 be improved if means coiild be found to create further facilities for 
 land purchase in the United Kingdom." 
 
 8. The provisional scale of duties on imported agricultural products 
 appended to the Report, in the first place provided the revenue which was 
 deemed essential for carrying out the non-fiscal parts of our agricultural 
 programme. The great growth of national expenditure since 1906 and the 
 pressure likely to be exerted in the near future to raise money for the 
 additional needs of the State have not made the fiscal policy we recom- 
 mended less necessary now than it was in 1906. In order to fulfil its 
 obligations a Tariff Reform Government would be obliged to readjust 
 direct and indirect taxation in accordance with the broad principles 
 incorporated in our Report. 
 
 9. In the second place the fiscal proposals put forward in 1906 provided 
 the machinery by which, if necessary, unfair competition in the home miarket 
 might be checked. Under the Tariff Scheme sketched in the first report of 
 the Tariff Commission, this end would be attained by one of three methods 
 (1) by the imposition of higher duties than those embodied in the general 
 tariff suggested ; (2) by putting into operation a maximum clause in the tariff, 
 or (3) by adopting measures similar to the anti-dumping clause in the 
 Canadian Tariff Law. The figures produced in this report show that the 
 competition which British agriculturists have to face has become more and 
 not less severe during the period since 1906, and if the non-fiscal scheme 
 then advocated is to meet with the success which we anticipated it is essential 
 to provide means of checking unfair competition in the home market. The 
 handicap of British agriculture has also been increased by the advance in the 
 cost of production due to the lessened supply of competent labour, the 
 increased charges upon the land and other changes. 
 
10. The fiscal proposals of our Report of 1906 further provided a ^mpire 
 basis for a complete system of preference throughout the British Empire. 
 Since 1906 the principles of Preference have been more widely adopted 
 outside the United Kingdom. One Dominion after another has put the 
 Preferential policy into operation and nothing now remainfe except that the 
 United Kingdom should take definite steps to bring this country into line 
 with the rest of the British Empire. 
 
 11. The economic forces moulding the direction of British agricultural Partial 
 
 ° * Adoption 
 
 development, and the aims of particular groups concerned with agriculture, pfopJsais 
 have gradually brought about the result that parts of the agricultural pro- 
 gramme we proposed in 1906 have become permanently incorporated in 
 the policy of one or another party ; and in its broad outline the policy we 
 suggested in 1906 has come much nearer general adoption than could have 
 been hoped at the time. 
 
 12. In connection with the improvement of transport facilities, it was Transport 
 urged in our Report of 1906 that the Board of Agriculture should be em- 
 powered to require the railway companies to collect and supply full informa- 
 tion regarding agricultural traffic ; and to summon conferences between 
 railway companies and representative agriculturists with a view to establish- 
 ing co-operative methods for the transport of farm produce ; and it was urged 
 
 that where necessary State assistance might be given for the establishment 
 of co-operative methods. 
 
 ' 13. A Departmental Committee was set up by the Board of Trade in 
 1906 to inquire into the form and scope of the accounts and statistical returns 
 rendered by railway companies, and the Board of Trade, on the recommenda- 
 tions of that Committee, introduced in 1910 the Railway Companies (Accounts 
 and Returns) Bill, which was, however, withdrawn in the same year and has 
 not since been reintroduced. The special grievances of agriculturists were 
 examined by a Departmental Committee appointed by the Board of Agri- 
 culture and Fisheries to inquire into and report whether preferential 
 
10 
 
 treatment is given by the Railway Companies in Great Britain to Foreign 
 and Colonial, as compared with Home, Farm, Dairy, and Market Garden 
 produce, but on the evidence of this Committee and on its recom- 
 mendations, no further legislative action has been taken. No further steps 
 have been taken to develop co-operative methods in deahng with farm 
 produce, except in connection with the grants made by the Development 
 Commission to the Agricultural Organisation Societies of England and Wales, 
 Scotland and Ireland, respectively. 
 
 14. In one important respect, however, the position of Agriculture has 
 been prejiidiced by legislation passed since 1906. The Railway Act of 1912 
 has brought about a substantial increase in the freight burden falling on the 
 transport of British farm-produce. It is feared that one result of the changes 
 must be to discourage co-operation among farmers for the carriage of their 
 produce. 
 
 1.5 Regarding motor services and light railways the Development 
 Commissioners appear to be prepared to make advances if it can be shown 
 that the agricultural development likely to ensue would be of sufficient 
 importance to justify that step. 
 
 New 16. In our report of 1906 this Committee recommended that a grant 
 
 Agricultural ° 
 
 Branches |^g made annually to the Board of Agriculture to be used for providing trained 
 experts who would visit different locahties and give advice and assistance 
 in connection with the establishment of new industries and the improvement 
 of old ones. 
 
 17. A })eginning has been made in this direction by the Development 
 Commission. Through the Board of Agriculture grants have been given 
 from the Development Fund to Rothamstead and Agricultural Colleges and 
 Institutes for the promotion of scientific research connected ' with agriculture. 
 
 sueaf^*^ •* The Development Commission have now also definitely declared in 
 
 favour of financial " aid " to the beet sugar industry in the form of an 
 education?] grant. All such grants were impossible so long as the United 
 
11 
 
 Kingdom was a party to the Brussels Convention. But whereas this decision 
 was reached upwards of a year ago, we find, on inquiry among those interested, 
 that no sums have been as yet distributed. 
 
 The United Kingdom withdrew from the Brussels Convention on 
 September 1st, 1913, and the effect of that withdrawal ^\■RS two-fold. It 
 relieved the British Government from any obligation to abstain from bounties 
 granted to encourage sugar-growing at home, or to abstain from granting 
 preference to Empire-grown sugar. Mr. Acland, Under-Secretary for 
 Foreign Affairs, stated in the House of Commons on 7th August, 1912. tliat 
 the notice of withdrawal was accompanied by the following dcclaratioii : — 
 
 " His Majesty's Government has, therefore, no intention of departing 
 from the fundamental principles of the Convention by themselves 
 giving bounties on the export of sugar or by giving a preference to sugar 
 produced within the British Empire on importation into the United 
 Kingdom, or by imposing a higher Customs dvity on beet sugar than 
 on cane sugar. . . . His Majesty's Government will not depart 
 in any particular from the policy laid down by them without giving due 
 notice through the usual channels to the other States of the Sugar Union." 
 
 Sir P'dward Grey, however, in a despatch dated Maj' 24th, 191.3, to the 
 British delegate on the International Sugar Commission said : — 
 
 " An exemption (total or partial) of sugar manufactured in the 
 United Kingdom, from the duty leviable on imported sugar is, of course, 
 not to be regarded as a bounty, provided that the preference so accorded 
 is less than the ' surtax ' permitted by the convention." 
 
 And the British delegate on the International Sugar Commission 
 declared accordingly that : — 
 
 " There was no immediate intention of establishing an excise in the 
 United Kingdom, no'provision being made for it in the Finance Bill." — 
 (Parliamentary Paper, Cd. 6877, 1913.) 
 
12 
 
 It is important to note that by this action the Liberal Free Trade 
 Government see no objection to the grant of bounties to industries so 
 long as they can be regarded as in an experimental stage. In a speech 
 delivered in the House of Commons on July 29tli, 1913, Mr. Lloyd George, 
 defending the absence -of any proposed excise on sugar, said : — 
 
 " It would strain the principles of Free Trade to do so. I do not 
 regard it as in the slightest degree against the principles of Free Trade. 
 The Prime Minister laid it down that whilst an industry of this kind was 
 in a purely experimental stage it should be left alone. I am, therefore, 
 prepared to defend it from the point of view of Free Trade." 
 
 It is obvious that this principle is capable of wide application, especially 
 to the agricultural industry. 
 
 s-ocai 18. This Committee, in its Report of 1906, recommended such an increase 
 
 Taxation "^ 
 
 in the Exchequer contribution to local taxation as would make that contribu- 
 tion the largest possible amount which was compatible with the economic 
 administration of local affairs, and it was suggested that the subvention under 
 the Agricultural Rates Act should be increased from one-half to three- 
 fourths. 
 
 19. Although the financial position has grown more serious and the call 
 for legislation more urgent, nothing has been done since 1906 to mitigate 
 the burdens of our present rating system on Agriculture. On the contrary, 
 the period of inaction and suspense was protracted by the appointment 
 in 1911 of a Departmental Committee of inquiry which has only recently 
 reported. This subject is dealt with in detail at a later stage of this Report. 
 
 Land 20. This Committee advocated land purchase and mentioned with 
 
 Purchase ^ 
 
 approval the measure associated with the name of Mr. Jesse CoUings for the 
 experimental extension of small ownerships by means of State assistance, 
 
 21. Since 1906 two measures bearing on this matter have been passed, 
 viz., the Small Holdings and Allotments Acts of 1908 and 1910 ; and up to the 
 end of 1913 about 16,000 individual small holders had become tenants of 
 County Councils, Co-operative Small Holdings Associations, etc., while 
 only 476 acres had been sold to 42 small holders. 
 
13 
 
 D. Agricultural Rates. 
 
 22. As to the relief of Agricultural Rates, the recommendations of this pffg^Re'lo*^- 
 Committee in 1906 were made in paragraphs 368-9, the purport of which I^ggg '*'"*' 
 was as follows : — 
 
 " The witnesses we have examined are unanimous in attaching 
 great importance to the question of local taxation. They complain 
 that the rate burden on agricultural lands, as compared with other 
 kinds of property, is excessive and continues steadily to increase 
 notwithstanding the Agricultural Rates Act, by which they agree the 
 burden was sensibly mitigated. . . . Since the passing of the Act 
 the burden of taxation on the land has been made more severe by 
 fresh rates, especially in connection with the Education Act of 1902, 
 and it has tended to increase until in many cases the whole benefit 
 of the Act has practically disappeared. The evidence shows that the 
 present amount of rates is in many cases sufficient to make impossible 
 successful competition with foreign importations, and, in consequence 
 there is a general demand for further relief by legislation. In support 
 of this demand it is pointed out that the Report of the Royal Commis- 
 sion on Agricultural Depression in 1896 recommended that relief should 
 be given to the extent of three-fourths on agricultural land instead of 
 one-half, as was provided for by the Agricultural Rates Act. In 
 dealing with this demand for further relief, we think that the principle 
 to be kept in view is that the contribution from Imperial funds should be 
 the largest amount, and from local rates the smallest, that is compatible 
 with the economic administration of local affairs ; and provided such 
 economic administration cah be secured, we think that relief should be 
 given to the full extent that was recommended. We are of opinion 
 that in view of the increase of revenue which would follow from the. 
 imposition of the duties we suggest, the difficulty of carrying out this 
 recommendation is removed, and some portion of the new revenue 
 might with advantage be devoted to this purpose." 
 
 23. A great change has taken place in the whole situation with regard to RaYe^s^sfnc 
 local taxation and its effect upon agriculture by the great increase of rates ^^®® 
 which has taken place since 1896. 
 
 The total amount of the rates on agricultural land (to which the Act 
 of 1896 applied) was in round numbers at the time when it was passed 
 £2,700,000, or 2s. 3d. in the £. 
 
14 
 
 Had there been no Act the rates raised on agricultural land would have 
 increased from £2,700,000 in 1896, or 2s. 3d. in the £ (rateable value), to 
 £4,400,000, or 3s. 8d. in the £ at the present time. 
 
 The amount given in relief, viz., £1,325,000, fulfilled the object of the 
 Act at the time it was passed, and diminished by one-half the then-existing 
 burden of the rates on agricultural land. 
 
 • 
 
 But £1,825,000 only represents Is. Ijd. in the £, and in spite of that 
 relief, rural areas, as regards the burden of the rates on agricultural land, are 
 worse oii to-day by nearly £1,700,000, or Is. 5d. in the £, than they were before 
 the passing of the Act. 
 
 It follows, therefore, that in order to replace agricultural land and 
 rural areas generally in the position which they occupied at the time of the 
 passing of the Act, that is to say, to relieve the land again of one-half of 
 the rates, an additional sum of about £850,000, equal to 8 Jd. in the £, should 
 now be paid by the Exchequer. 
 
 If that were done, agricultural land and rural areas generally would 
 be replaced, as regards the rates, in the position to which Parliament by 
 the passing of that Act declared that they were justly entitled at that time, 
 but that is all. ^ 
 
 The Special • 24. We do not think, however, that that alone would meet by any 
 
 Claims of 
 
 Agriculture means the equity of the case as regards agricultural land, and .we have 
 strong support for that opinion. 
 
 The evidence taken by the Royal Commission on Agricultural 
 Depression in 1896 ; by the Agricultural Committee of the Tariff Commission 
 in 1906 ; and by the Royal Commission on Local Taxation which dealt 
 exhaustively with that subject in all its branches in 1901, teem with 
 illustrations of the suffering of agriculturists from unjust taxation of the 
 land, and they^^all cordially support the policy of the Act of 1896. 
 
15 
 
 25, It may not be unfitting to quote the following passages from the 
 Report of the Royal Commission on Local Taxation. In Chapter VIII., page 
 33, in the first paragraph, they say : — 
 
 " A reference to the statement of the history of the system of 
 rating for local purposes, which is printed in our First Report, will 
 show that the policy of the Act of 1896, whereby land is rated at one- 
 half, and which has been the subject of so much misrepresentation, 
 was only a measure of justice which had been too long delayed." 
 
 This is followed by the timely reminder that, under the Act of Elizabeth, 
 rates were intended to be a kind of local Income Tax, towards which each 
 member of the community should contribute according to his means, but 
 that in 1840 all moveable property was exempted from rateabihty by the 
 Poor Rate Exemption Act, to which they refer in these words : — 
 
 " The effect of this Act was to relieve from liability to local rates 
 all property other than immoveable property. When first passed, 
 the Act was to remain in force for one year, and was avowedly intended 
 to afford time for the reconsideration of the whole question of liability 
 to contribute to the cost of local services. No such comprehensive 
 dealing with the subject was ever undertaken, and the Poor Rate 
 Exemption Act has been continued in the Expiring Laws Continuance 
 Act every year since 1840." 
 
 On page 34 in the second paragraph they say : — 
 
 " The representatives of the agricultural ratepayers have never 
 ceased to complain of the unfairness of the burden laid upon them in 
 respect of the amount they have had to contribute to local funds, 
 and to urge that the proportion levied from agricultural property is, 
 if calculated upon its full net annual value, greatly in excess of that of 
 other classes of ratepayers, whether considered from the standpoint 
 either of ability to contribute or of benefit to be received from the 
 expenditure of the local funds." 
 
 2G. The justice of this claim is supported by evidence quoted from 
 Select Committees, both of the House of Commons and of the House of Lords 
 in 1836, showing for how many years this grievance has existed unredressed ; 
 and by numerous cases which they cite from the evidence of well-known 
 
16 
 
 farmers in all parts of England and Scotland taken by the Royal Agricultural 
 Commission in 1893. 
 
 • In the second paragraph of page 35 they say : — 
 
 " In view of this and other similar evidence, the Royal Commission 
 expressed the opinion in their Second Report : ' that in order to place 
 agricultural lands in their right position as compared with other rateable 
 properties, it is essential that they should be assessed to all local rates 
 in a reduced proportion of their rateable value. If the existing 
 precedents in England and Scotland are followed, they would be so 
 assessed at one-fourth only of their rateable value.' " 
 
 And then they add : — 
 
 " The evidence which we ourselves have received supports the 
 view thus enunciated and we may particularly refer to cases submitted 
 to us by Mr. Rew, lately the Secretary of the Central Chamber of 
 Agriculture, and of the Local Taxation Conimittee " (and now an 
 Assistant Secretary of the Board of Agriculture). 
 
 27. It is impossible, we think, to deny the force of this consensus of 
 opinion which has been shown by the Reports of the two Royal Commissions 
 and of this Committee and by the evidence given before them in favour of 
 increasing the relief of agricultural land from " rateability " from one-half 
 to three-fourths of the burden which it bears at present. 
 
 28. The total amount of additional relief which would be given by this 
 proposal is as follows : — 
 
 The rates on agricultural land, to which the Act of 1896 applied, have 
 grown, as we have seen, since the passing of that Act, to £4,400,000, and 
 one-fourth of that sum is £1,100,000. If we add this amount to the £850,000 
 needed to restore agricultural land to the position which it occupied after 
 the passing of the Act of 1896, a total additional contribution of £1,950,000 
 from the Exchequer would be needed in order to give effect to the views of 
 the two Royal Commissions and of this Committee in 1906, which we repeat 
 to-day, viz., that the burden of the rates on agricultural land should be 
 relieved to the extent of three-fourths. 
 
 NewReasons 29. This was our proposal in 1906. We see no reason to depart from 
 
 the opinion which we then expressed. On the contrary, we think there 
 
17 
 
 are even stronger reasons for pressing that demand to-day, some of which 
 we may enumerate as follows : — 
 
 (1) The serious and continuous increase in the rates. 
 
 (2) The change which has occurred in the attitude of those who were 
 formerly so vehemently opposed to the passing of the Act in 1896. 
 Parliament by its action in that year recognised th^ force of the claims 
 put forward then on behalf of agriculture, and (in spite of the violent 
 opposition to the passing of the Bill at the time) the justice of these claims 
 has been finally endorsed by all parties, and in the Expiring Laws Continuance 
 Act, the Agricultural Rates Act has now been repeatedly renewed for many 
 years, 
 
 (3) Lastly there are the statements and proposals of the leaders of both 
 political parties. Speaking at Trowbridge to a large meeting of farmers 
 on Jime 3rd, 1913, the present Mmister of Agriculture, Mr. Runciman, 
 replying to an invitation to do so, dealt at some length with the question of 
 agricultural rates and taxes, and said* : " As far as they could foresee, they 
 would have to reform their rating system within the limits of rating possi- 
 bilities, and the first step that had to be taken undoubtedly was to see that 
 assessments were on a fair basis." 
 
 The only fair basis of assessment which will meet the just claims of 
 agriculture is the reduction of the assessment of agricultural land from 
 one-half to one-fourth of the rateable value. This was the recommendation 
 of the two Royal Commissions of 1896 and 1901 and of this Committee in 
 1906. 
 
 Finally, Mr. Runciman recalled the fact that " whereas it was well within 
 the memory of those who heard him when the County Rates in Wiltshire were 
 counted by a few pence, now they were 2s. 9d. or 2s. 9|d. in the £, and that 
 had been an enormous rise. ... It was a direct burden on agriculture." 
 
 The Leader of the Opposition also dealt with the subject in speeches at 
 Edinburgh on January 24th, 1913, and in the House of Commons on April 2nd 
 of the same year. On the latter occasion, he stated that ParUament, Session 
 
 Watshire Times" Report, June 7th, 1913. 
 
18 
 
 after Session, had (clelil)eT^|;ely impqsed j\^w and heayy bijfd.ejns upon agricul- 
 ture, with the result that agriculture suffered npw from loQfd taxation more 
 than any other industry in this country ; that " the c^uestion of the burdens 
 upon agriculture were regarded by them (i.e., the leaders of the party) as 
 something quite apart frorn this general question of local rating," and that 
 " simultaneously with the adoption of an industrial tariff, if they were ever in a 
 position to impose it, simultaneously they would use part of the revenue 
 derived from that tariff in order to lower the heavy burden on agriculture." 
 
 30 . Turning npw to the newly issued Report of the Departmental Committee 
 on Local Taxation, the proposals as regards agricultural lands are as follows : — 
 
 The specific grant of £1,325,000 a year under the Agricultural Rates 
 j^ct is to be withdrawn : and substitutes are to be found for it, apparently, 
 as far as we can judge, in prpposals for other grants which are to be of 
 two kinds : — (1) General proposals for grants ; and (2) Certain special grants 
 >vhich, it is suggested, would benefit almost exclusively the areas in which 
 agricultural property is situated, 
 
 The general grants proposed are for : — Higher and Elennentary 
 Education, Poor Relief, Police, Main Roads, and Public Health. 
 
 The Departmental Committee estimate that the withdrawal qf the 
 present system of grants, including those under the Agricultural Rates Act 
 and the Tithe Rentcharges (Rates) Act, and the substitution of the new 
 scheme of general grants, will give a net increase of £100,000 in relief of rates 
 in those areas which now receive practically the entire Agricultural Rates 
 Act Grant. Thus, the three authorities — County Councils, Boards of 
 Guardians, and Rural District Councils — which receive about 97 per cent, 
 of the present grant, would, under the new scheme of general grants, receive 
 practically the same sum as at present. 
 
 The special grants proposed are three in number : — 
 
 (1) Grant for small elementary schools . . . . £370,000 
 
 (2) Grant towards the maintenance and minor im- 
 
 provements of County Roads, estimated at . . 600,000 
 
 (3) Grant for Public Health, estimated at . , , . 100,000 
 
 making a total a|tog^|:her pnder special grants of , . £l ,070,000 
 
19 
 
 This sum, added to the amount of the general grants, makes a total 
 net increase of £1,170,000 in the grants going to relieve rabes in the areas 
 in which agricultural property predominantly exists. 
 
 It is not clear whether and how far the substitutes proposed in lieu 
 of the relief to agriculture given under the Agricultural Rates Act will 
 reach the same authorities, and in what amounts— £qual, greater, or less — 
 than the grant which they are to replace ; and even though the total sum 
 distributed to them in grants throughout the country under the new scheme 
 were equal in amount to the sums paid at present, it is by no means certain 
 that the readjustments in the conditions of the grant might not adversely 
 affect certain areas while relatively favouring others. 
 
 By the Budget proposals the Government contemplate additional The 
 
 Budget 
 grants in aid of rates in England and Walef! of £8,200,000. This siim is Proposals 
 
 considerably in excess of the £4,700,000 recommended by the Departmental 
 
 Committee, and is due mainly to the very much larger grant on account of 
 
 Public Health Services, namely £3,000,000 instead of about £1,000,000. 
 
 So far, however, no information has been supplied as to the distribution 
 
 of these grants among different authorities and different areas in England 
 
 and Wales. On the other hand Mr. Lloyd George has already intimated 
 
 that it is the Government's intention in general to make the increased grants 
 
 contingent on a corresponding increase of expenditure by the local 
 
 authorities. So far as this is true the rates everywhere will be forced still 
 
 further upwards by the new grants and the rate burdens on agricultural 
 
 land are likely to increase rather than diminish. 
 
 Replying to Mr. Chaplin in the House of Commons on May 11th, 1914, 
 Mr. Herbert Samuel said : — 
 
 " Until the new classification of first-class and second-class roads 
 has been made it will not be possible to give even approximate figures 
 for the grants to the various authorities within the counties, and the 
 figures for each county, as a whole, can be no more than an estimate. 
 On the data that are available, calculations have been made with respect 
 to several agricultural counties, and these indicate that the new Grants 
 would permit a reduction of r^tes in most counties of about 5d. in the £. 
 But the circumstances differ considerably. Provision will be made 
 
20 
 
 that in no event shall the total grants in any county, union, or district 
 
 area be less than now." 
 
 This new classification of roads must in the nature of things take a 
 considerable time, and until it is completed it will be impossible to say what 
 the relief to agriculture, if any, will be in this respect. As regards the official 
 suggestion that the new grants might in some counties permit of a reduction 
 of rates of about 5d. in the £ it is to be remembered that the conditions to be 
 attached to the grant may be of such a nature, as already remarked, that the 
 relief may have to be accompanied by an increased expenditure, which may 
 make the rates in respect of agricultural land even heavier than they are now. 
 In any case it is clear that the Government proposals offer no prospect of 
 relief commensurate with that which has been declared by two Royal 
 Commissions and this Committee to be just and necessary. 
 
 Our opinion is distinct that, until these points are made clear, the 
 agricultural interests of the country should receive the proposals of the 
 Departmental Committee and of the Budget with the greatest caution, 
 and, further, that no proposals can be regarded as doing justice to agriculture 
 which fall short of providing relief equal to three-fourths of the rates falling 
 upon agricultural land as recommended by two Royal Commissions and 
 this Agricultural Committee, and amounting to an additional £1,900,000. 
 General In vicw of all these developments it is clear that any party which desires 
 
 Conclusion 
 
 to restore British agriculture to its proper and historic place in the national 
 economy will be compelled in the first place to adopt, in its general outlines, 
 the policy set forth in the Report of this Committee of 1906 and now confirmed 
 (see pages 8 & 9). This would necessarily lead to the reorganisation of the 
 present basis of taxation and, in the present state of Imperial feeling and 
 Imperial necessity, we see no reason to doubt that all the different parts of 
 the policy should be placed upon the Statute Book with the least possible 
 delay. 
 
 (Signed) HENRY CHAPLIN, Chairman, Agricultural Committee. 
 W. A. S. HEWINS, Secretary, Tariff Commission. 
 
 The Tariff Commission, 
 
 7, Victoria Street, London, S.W. . 
 June 17th, 1914. 
 
21 
 
 APPKNDIX. 
 
 1.— FOOD SUPPLY OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. 
 
 The following figures have been partly taken from the paper by Mr. Rew (Assistant Socr'-tary of 
 the Board of Agriculture for England and Wales) on the Nation's Food Supply, read before Section 
 M of the British Association in September, 1912, and partly compiled from the British Board of 
 Trade Returns : — 
 
 
 
 
 Imports. 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 Home 
 Produce. 
 
 ■ Foreign. 
 
 British. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Total. 
 
 
 Mill. £. 
 
 Mill. £. 
 
 Mill. £. 
 
 Mill. £. 
 
 Mill. £. 
 
 Wheat, Flour and Grain, &c. . . 
 
 
 10 
 
 2^ 
 
 23J 
 
 48 
 
 58 
 
 Meat 
 
 
 78 
 
 39i 
 
 Hi 
 
 51 
 
 129 
 
 Poultry, Eggs, Rabbits and Game 
 
 
 15 
 
 9 
 
 i 
 
 10 
 
 25 
 
 Pish 
 
 
 9 
 
 2 
 
 i 
 
 3 
 
 12 
 
 Dairy Produce 
 
 
 42 
 
 23 
 
 12 
 
 35 
 
 77 
 
 Fruit 
 
 
 6 
 
 13 
 
 2 
 
 15 
 
 22 
 
 Vegetables 
 
 
 20 
 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 
 24 
 
 Sugar 
 
 
 — 
 
 23 
 
 3 
 
 26 
 
 26 
 
 Tea, Coffee and Cocoa . . 
 
 
 — 
 
 3 
 
 10 
 
 13 
 
 13 
 
 
 180 
 
 140 
 
 64 
 
 205 
 
 386 
 
 2.— IMPORTS OF AGRICULTURAL FOODSTUFFS (in MilUon £.). 
 
 The following figures bring up to date the table of imports of agricultural foodstuffs given in 
 the first Report of the Agricultural Committee : — 
 
 
 Foreign 
 
 British 
 
 
 Proportion from 
 
 
 Countries. 
 
 Possessions. 
 
 All Countries. 
 
 British Possessions. 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 Per cent. 
 
 1876 
 
 — 
 
 — 
 
 124 
 
 — 
 
 1885 . 
 
 
 
 
 114 
 
 20 
 
 134 
 
 14-9 
 
 1895 . 
 
 
 
 
 126 
 
 23 
 
 149 
 
 15-4 
 
 1905 . 
 
 
 
 
 157 
 
 47 
 
 205 
 
 22-9 
 
 1906 . 
 
 
 
 
 164 
 
 46 
 
 210 
 
 21-9 
 
 1907 . 
 
 
 
 
 167 
 
 51 
 
 218 
 
 23-4 
 
 1908 . 
 
 
 
 
 174 
 
 40 
 
 214 
 
 18-7 
 
 1909 . 
 
 
 
 
 172 
 
 52 
 
 224 
 
 23-2 
 
 1910 . 
 
 
 
 
 167 
 
 59 
 
 225 
 
 26-2 
 
 1911 
 
 
 
 
 169 
 
 60 
 
 229 
 
 26-2 
 
 1912 . 
 
 1913 . 
 
 
 
 
 178 
 
 66 
 
 244 
 249 
 
 27-2 
 
22 
 
 3.— WHEAT SUPPLY. 
 
 The course of wheat and wheat floior imports is seen from the following table, which shows that 
 these imports have more than doubled since 1875, while the imports per head have risen from 
 1'8 owts. to 2-7 cwts. or by 50 per cent. 
 
 UNITED KINGDOM.— IMPORTS OF WHEAT (in Million Cwts.). 
 
 
 Quantities. 
 
 Percentages. 
 
 
 Foreign 
 
 British 
 
 
 Foreign 
 
 British 
 
 
 
 Countries. 
 
 Possessions. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Countries. 
 
 Possessions. 
 
 Total. 
 
 1875 . . 
 
 52-8 
 
 6-7 
 
 59-5 
 
 89 
 
 11 
 
 100 
 
 1885 . 
 
 
 
 61-6 
 
 19-7 
 
 81'3 
 
 76 
 
 24 
 
 100 
 
 1905 . 
 
 
 
 71-6 
 
 42-6 
 
 114-2 
 
 63 
 
 37 
 
 100 
 
 1910 . 
 
 
 
 66-5 
 
 52-6 
 
 1191 
 
 56 
 
 44 
 
 100 
 
 1911 . 
 
 
 
 57-6 
 
 54-4 
 
 1120 
 
 61 
 
 49 
 
 100 
 
 1912 . 
 
 
 
 58-1 
 
 65-7 
 
 123-7 
 
 47 
 
 • 53 
 
 100 
 
 1913 . 
 
 
 
 65-6 
 
 57-0 
 
 122-6 
 
 53i 
 
 46i 
 
 100 
 
 With regard to the question of the proportion of the wheat supply which is home-grown the 
 average annual net imports in 1909-13 were 118 riiillion cwts. The average annual production was 
 60 million bushels, or 32 rniUion cwts. Deducting about 10 per cent, of this production for seed 
 and another 10 per cent, for waste and allowing tor exports, the proportion of wheat home-grown 
 for consiunption was about 24 million cwts. out of a toial supply of about 142 million cwts. or 
 one-sixth. Sevfehty years Ago, in the period 1841-45, the wheat production of the United Kingdom 
 was iline-t4nths Of the total consumption. 
 
 4.— THEl MEAT SUPPLY. 
 
 The following table brings up to date a corresponding table published in the Report of the 
 Agricultural Committee (Par. 196). 
 
 
 Home-fed Meat. 
 
 Imported Meat. 
 
 Total. 
 
 
 thous. tons. 
 
 per cent. 
 
 thous. tons. 
 
 per cent. 
 
 thous. toriB. 
 
 1871-5 
 
 1,193 
 
 83 j 
 
 236 
 
 17 
 
 1,429 
 
 1901-5 
 
 1,252 
 
 55 
 
 1,043 
 
 45 
 
 2,295 
 
 1906-10 
 
 1,271 
 
 53J 
 
 1,106 
 
 46J 
 
 2,377 
 
 1911 
 
 1,316 
 
 53 
 
 1,146 
 
 47 
 
 2,462 
 
 1912 
 
 1,285 
 
 54 
 
 1,084 
 
 46 
 
 2,369 
 
 1913 
 
 1,221 
 
 51 
 
 1,169 
 
 49 
 
 2,390 
 
 The increase in the actual quantity of home-fed meat between 1871-75 and 1909-13 was only 
 7 per cent. 
 
 There has been in the sarne time a significant change in the importations of meat from within 
 the Empire, so that wherea,s lees than 15 per cent, of imported meat came from British countries 
 in 1885, the proportion in 1912 had grown to 28 per cent. On the basis of consignmerite the 
 proportion from British Possessions in 1912 was 26 per cent. 
 
23 
 
 5.— SUPPLY OF DAIRY PKODUCE. 
 
 According to Mr. Rew's estimates the total supply of dairy products of the United Kingdom 
 (excluding lard) was £77,000,000 in 1911, of which £35,000,000, or about 45 per cent., was imported. 
 The following table shows the course of the imports of Dairy Produce. 
 
 
 UNITED KINGDOM.- 
 
 -IMPORTS OF DAIRY PRODUCE.* 
 
 
 
 Value (Mill. £. 
 
 ) 
 
 Percentages. 
 
 
 Foreign 
 
 British 
 
 
 Foreign 
 
 British 
 
 
 
 Countries. 
 
 Possessions. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Countries. 
 
 Possessions. 
 
 Total. 
 
 1875.. 
 
 
 
 151 
 
 
 
 
 1885.. 
 
 16-6 
 
 1-5 
 
 18-0 
 
 92 
 
 8 
 
 100 
 
 1905 . . 
 
 25-8 
 
 10-9 
 
 36-8 
 
 70 
 
 30 
 
 100 
 
 1910.. 
 
 301 
 
 12-2 
 
 42-3 
 
 71 
 
 29 
 
 100 
 
 1911 .. 
 
 28-6 
 
 131 
 
 41-7 
 
 69 
 
 3] 
 
 100 
 
 1912 
 
 305 
 
 13-0 
 
 43-5 
 
 70 
 
 30 
 
 100 
 
 1913t 
 
 33-6 
 
 10-5 
 
 44-1 
 
 76 
 
 24 
 
 100 
 
 * Butter, margarine, oheesfe, milk, and lard, 
 •t Approximate consignment figures. 
 
 6.— PRICES. 
 
 Since 1905 the position indicated in the Report of the Agricultural Committee tis to the decline 
 of prices has been modified in the sense that while in the last 12 years there has been a considerable 
 rise in the prices of commodities, corn prices have riseaj on an average to a slightly greater extent 
 than general prices. This is seen from the following index numbers of wholesale prices : — 
 
 
 FOOD, DRINK AND TOBACCO. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Index numbers 
 
 
 
 Meat, Fish 
 
 Sugaj, Tea, 
 
 Wine and 
 
 All articles of 
 
 for commodities 
 
 
 Corn, &c. 
 
 and Dairy 
 
 Coffee, Cocoa 
 
 Foreign 
 
 Food, Drink 
 
 in general. 
 
 
 
 Produce. 
 
 and Tobacco. 
 
 Spirits. 
 
 and Tobacco. 
 
 (47 articles). 
 
 1900 
 
 1000 
 
 100-0 
 
 100-0 
 
 100-0 
 
 100-0 
 
 100-0 
 
 1901 
 
 102-6 
 
 99-3 
 
 94-7 
 
 96-7 
 
 100-1 
 
 96-7 
 
 1902 
 
 102-3 
 
 104-4 
 
 84-4 
 
 91-8 
 
 101-4 
 
 96-4 
 
 1903 
 
 102-2 
 
 102-1 
 
 86-4 
 
 99-5 
 
 100-6 
 
 96-9 
 
 1904 
 
 106-9 
 
 98-3 
 
 92-5 
 
 100-8 
 
 - 101-2 
 
 98-2 
 
 1905 
 
 104-2 
 
 97-7 
 
 104-8 
 
 107-9 
 
 101-2 
 
 97-6 
 
 1906 
 
 102-3 
 
 102-2 
 
 88-7 
 
 103-2 
 
 101-0 
 
 100-8 
 
 1907 
 
 109-3 
 
 104-8 
 
 94-2 
 
 100-0 
 
 105-5 
 
 106-0 
 
 1908 
 
 113-8 
 
 103-3 
 
 99-0 
 
 97-8 
 
 107-0 
 
 103-0 
 
 1909 
 
 114-7 
 
 105-8 
 
 100-4 
 
 99-0 
 
 108-7 
 
 104-1 
 
 1910 
 
 105-9 
 
 111-7 
 
 111-7 
 
 100-2 
 
 109-2 
 
 108-8 
 
 1911 
 
 114-3 
 
 109-2 
 
 114-1 
 
 104-1 
 
 111-6 
 
 109-4 
 
 1912 
 
 124-0 
 
 116-8 
 
 120-4 
 
 111-9 
 
 119-9 
 
 114-9 
 
 These figures show that while between 1900-4 and 1908-12 the prices of general commodities 
 rose by 10-7 per cettt., those of the corh group increased 11-4 jJer cent. 
 
24 
 
 7.— WAGES. 
 
 The course of the wages and earnings of agricultural labourers so far as they are available in 
 official figures is shown in the following table, from which it is seen that in the last eight years the 
 wages of ordinary labourers in England and Wales have risen less than four per cent. Ireland 
 appears to be the only part of the United Kingdom where an appreciable improvement is evident. 
 
 PERCENTAGE FLUCTUATIONS IN WAGES AND EARNINGS OF AGRICULTURAL 
 
 LABOURERS. 
 (Level of Wages in 1900= 100.) 
 
 
 England and Wales. 
 
 Scotland. 
 
 Ireland. 
 
 
 Fluctuations of 
 
 Fluctuations of 
 
 Fluctuations of 
 
 
 Cash Wages of 
 
 Total Earnings of 
 
 Cash Wages of 
 
 
 Ordinary Labourers 
 
 Married Horsemen 
 
 Ordinary Labourers 
 
 
 (156 farms). 
 
 (98 farms). 
 
 (27 farms); 
 
 1904 
 
 101-4 
 
 100-8 
 
 103-8 
 
 1905 
 
 101-7 
 
 1011 
 
 105-4 
 
 1906 
 
 102-0 
 
 101-3 
 
 106-0 
 
 1907 
 
 102-0 
 
 104-2 
 
 106-7 
 
 1908 
 
 102-4 
 
 101-9 
 
 107-6 
 
 1909 
 
 102-6 
 
 102-7 
 
 108-6 
 
 1910 
 
 103-1 
 
 103-0 
 
 110-0 
 
 1911 
 
 10.3-2 
 
 104-1 
 
 112-5 
 
 1912 
 
 104-9 
 
 106-2 
 
 114-6 
 
 Vachee & SoKb, Ltd., Westminster House, Great Smith Street, London, S.W. — 49342. 
 
Cornell University Library 
 HF2041 .T18 1914 
 + 
 Second report of the Agricultural Commit 
 
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