THE NEW LIBERAL LAND POLICY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1481, 2 July 1912, Page 5

THE NEW LIBERAL LAND POLICY.

MR, LLOYD-GEORGE'S CRUSADERENTS TO BE FIXED BY THE STATE. COMMISSION 0l : INQUIRY. By 'J'clesriipli-J'rofs Apsoriiition-Cupyrielit (l.'ec. July I, 1UI) |i.m.) London, July 1. It is rumoured that tin- Radical hunt policy include., «. minimum n«i' for flßririilriiral labourers, ami Land Courts in lix rents mid terms <if teiuincy. Tho "Daily Now;' , announce* Unit Mr. Lloyd-Georfjo has inaugurated a far-rcach-iiij! inquiry into the land question in Knglnml and Wains and is appointing n> commission with Jlr. Arthur Dyke Adaml as chairman.

Spcakinir in the House of Commons on ir.-iv 8, Jlr. Lloyd-Ooiw- said ho had been surprised, too, t-.i hear Lord Kobcrl. Cecil wiv Hint tho condiliens <-f laliour in tlie agricultural clMiicts of this counlrv wen- on Ihn v.hole. more fiivoiu-ablo than in tho iiulii>trial districts. Ho thought the was the ease, and (hat a good deal of. Urn trouble in the industrial districts was duo lo the fact, that tho conditions of labour in tho agricultural districts were f-o unfair to (h< , workmen. Tho conditions'of agricultural labour wire, ho thought, a matter to bo inquired into. If they (jot a supply of sturdy, hcaltliy, strong men, who wero not ptettins: mure than Vi". a. week in (ho rural district for long hours of continuous work, labour which was called unskilled, but was very oltou tkilied labour—(hoar, hoar)—(here w.i.? a tendency to depiesn tho labour market in the matter of wiiprcs. In foine districts he knew tho agricultural labourers wero paid .£1 a week, although the country wa- not very fertile mid Hip districts were far removed from any great markets. This was good for tho farm or, however, as ho got a liettcr of men and more contented men. In the Home Counties', ou tho other linnil, in districts within easy reach of' great market,?: tho labourers were paid only 15s. or 16s. a week. There must be something radically wrong with the. whole system wliich out in this way. It wa= not on economic Avage. These wore things which lay nearly at tho root of lliete question---, ami more especially tlio question of unskilled labour.