Final report of the Committee on the Production and Distribution of Milk.
- Great Britain. Committee on the Production and Distribution of Milk.
- Date:
- 1919
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Final report of the Committee on the Production and Distribution of Milk. Source: Wellcome Collection.
49/104 (page 41)
![4] To obtain this supply the dairy farmer must enter into keener competition with industry than has been necessary in the past. ‘This competition will be rendered all the more intense, and the farmer’s difficulty in securing the additional labour necessary to produce the requisite increase in the milk supply will be aggravated by the experience of social life which many thousands of rural workers have had in the army or in different kinds of war work. By some means or other the attractions of town and city life must be counterbalanced if the country is to obtain and keep its due share of labour. 9. Difficulties common to all branches of agriculture——In surveying the field to be covered by their enquiries, the Sub-Committee considered it desirable to adopt the guiding principle that those subjects which, though of great interest and importance, were common to all branches of farming, should be interpreted as being outside the scope of their work. On this basis such subjects as: — (a) the actual rate of wages to be paid: (b) rural housing conditions, including the question of the “tied” cottage; (c) social conditions in the country in general would not arise for detailed consideration. The first of these is in the hands of the Wages Board which has been created for the specific purpose of fixing minimum rates of wages suitable to the conditions in the different counties. The second, though of prime importance in dairying and indeed in all branches of agriculture, cannot be adequately considered except as part of a national scheme of housing associated with other problems of local government and reconstruction. There is no doubt that at the present time there is a very great need for additional cottages, and that in numerous districts large numbers of existing cottages are far below modern standards. The third subject is also one of national interest aud is an essential part of any scheme for increasing the numbers of the rural population. It has been dealt with in the report of the Agricultural Policy Sub-Committee of the Reconstruction Committee (Cd. 9070, pages 118-122, Appendix 11. Village Industries: and Social Life). Also one aspect of this subject, namely, that of Women’s Institutes, is now directly associated with the Women’s Branch of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries and with the Board of Agriculture for Scotland. In addition to subjects such as those just mentioned, there are others which, although common to other branches of agriculture, have a direct relationship to the future of labour in dairying and, therefore, require special reference. Of these the most important would seem to be :— (a) improved educational facilities ; (6) improvement in the relations between employer and employed. 10. Education in Dairying.—The Sub-Committee are aware that the subject of education in dairying has been referred to another Sub-Committee, and therefore refrain from making any detailed recom- mendations upon it. They welcome the opportunities which will be provided under the Education Acts, ted for the general development of education and, in particular, for the provision of country continuation schools. They trust that the courses of study and instruction which it is proposed shall be provided for pupils during their latest years at such schools will be the means of securing a higher standard of education and efficiency in rural workers. They also wish to emphasise the desirability of some instruction being given in rural subjects at all continuation schools so that pupils in industrial districts may have an opportunity of acquiring some knowledge of, and interest in rural life. As regards the provision of increased educational facilities for those at present engaged in farm work the Sub-Committee believe that much could be done by the County Agricultural Education Staff and other bodies, and that lectures, short courses of instruction, and demonstrations on appropriate subjects at suitable hours would be appreciated by cowmen and other farm workers as well as by farmers themselves. In this connec- tion, the Sub-Committee would draw attention to the valuable educational work at present being carried out by the National Clean Milk Society by means of demonstrations of the possibility of producing clean milk under the most unfavourable farm conditions. If satisfactory attendance at such courses and the attain- ment of a certain degree of practical efficiency were followed by the awarding of certificates, and the possession of such certificates were recognised by employers as meriting the payment of a higher wage the results could hardly fail to be to the benefit of all concerned. ll. Relations between employers and employees.—The Sub-Committee realise that in the course of time the relations between employees and their employers will become the subject of frequent discussion between the various representative organisations. They are of the opinion, however, that no official conferences between branch unions or with official representatives can take the place of personal contact and sympathy between the farmer and his men. Conditions of iabour and rates of wages should be the subject of more frequent discussion between the individual farmer and his men, in order that each may understand and be able to. sympathise with the other’s point of view. By such personal contact and understanding it should be possible to develop mutual confidence between employers and employees, and to increase the interest of the workers in the management and output of the individual farm. The working hours and conditions under which dairying has been carried on in the past must be improved in the future, and employers will be well advised to give their workers an opportunity of stating their views as to what alterations they con- sider necessary and satisfactory, and in what way these may best be made effective. The Sub-Committee have given considerable thought to the part which may be played in the improve- ment of the relationship between employer and employed by schemes of co-partnership, profit-sharing and bonuses, but they are of the opinion that it is well-nigh impossible to devise any scheme which could be made the subject of a general recommendation. They have given particulars of a few such schemes in Appendix A, but they are principally concerned io emphasise the importance of employers—by whatever means local conditions may make most suitable—endeavouring to give their employees an interest in the conduct and prosperity of the business in which they are engaged. The organisation of farmers and farm and other rural workers into their respective unions has extended with varying rapidity in different parts of the country.. In nearly all parts of Great Britain there are organisations representative of the interests of farmers, and as regards farm workers, the Agricultural Labourers’ and Rural Workers’ Union and the Workers’ Union-in England, and the Scottish_farm Servants’. Union in Scotland all have a considerable membership. _ In districts where employers and employees are _](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b32177240_0049.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
