The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-09-27 00:00:00

THE ROYAL COMMISSION ON AGRI-
CULTURAL DEPRESSION.

The following circular to the Local Chambers has been
issued by the chairman and secretary of the Central
Chamber of Agriculture :
"Central Chamber of Agriculture, 21, Arundel•street,
Strand, London, 22nd Sept., 1879.

"Sir,—Her Majesty's Government have appointed a
Royal Commission to inquire into the existing agricul-
tural depression, complying thus with numerous
requests preferred by owners and occupiers of land, and
specially urged by the Chambers of Agriculture, it
appears very desirable that every assistance should be
rendered by these Chambers to the Commission.
Information is now being collected by assistant-corn-
missioners in the several districts of the country.
The knowledge of local peculiarities possessed by
members of the 50 Chambers of Agriculture through-
out England can materially aid the Commissioners by
compiling and submitting evidence, especially on the
carticular points urgently requiring investigation ; and
)y calling attention to the characteristic features of
the agriculture of each locality, or any peculiar phases
of the general depression. A copy of the official pro-
gramme of the Commission is enclosed herewith, and
from the variety of subjects to be investigated it is
highly important that attention should at once be
drawn to any special hindrances to successful
agrioulture in particular districts; to the pressure
of exceptional taxation on agricultural industry
(whether in the form of local rates charged on
one description of property only, or in that of
other taxes fettering the production of food) ; to
the tenure and occupation of land, the security of
agricultural capital, or the methods of cultivation,
so far as these bear on the existing depression or oo
the remedies suggested. While bringing this question
under your notice, we desire to leave every local
Chamber to determine in what way their services may
be best utilized on this occasion, whether by the au,
pointment of committees to select qualified witnesses,
or by meetings to consider the best mode of bringing
special matters under the direct attention of the
Assistant-Commissionem The questinn of assisting
the work of the Royal Commission will be brought
under the notice of the council of the Central and
Associated Chambers at their next meeting, on Tues-
day, the 4th of November.—We have the honour to be,
Sir, yours very faithfully, HurrrLY, Chairman; E G.
CRAIGIE, Secretary."
Mr. H. M. Jenkins, Secretary of the Royal Agricul-
tural Society of England, has been appointed assistant
commissioner in charge of the reports to be made upon
European agriculture. He will be assisted in the ne-
cessary investigations by Mr. C. L. Sutherland, of
Coombe, Croydon. Mr. Jenkins has already com-
menced his inquiries in Holland; and Mr. Sutherland
has started for Paris with a view to inquiring into the
corn-growing districts of France. According to the
last advices from America, Mr. Read, M.P., and
Mr. Pell, M.P., who have been sent out by the Eng-
lish Government to examine into the agricultural re-
sources of America. arrived, in company with Senator
Robert Read, who represents the Canadian Govern-
ment, at Little Falls, New York, on the 10th of Sep-
tember.

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