enditure of money out of the Agricultural Endowment Fund. The
application of the Endowment Fund was thus made dependent on the
_concurrence_ of the "Agricultural Board" and of the minister in charge
of the Department--an entirely novel plan which, although it might
clearly result in a deadlock as regards any particular application of
money from the fund, has nevertheless, I believe, worked extremely well,
and answered the purpose for which it was devised of reconciling
ministerial and executive responsibility with a reasonable power of
control given to local bodies.

Finally, with a view to stimulating local effort and the spirit of
self-help, a provision was inserted in the Bill to which I attached the
greatest importance. Power was given to the Council of any county or of
any urban district, or to two or more public bodies jointly, to appoint
committees composed partly of members of the local bodies and partly of
co-opted persons, for the purpose of carrying out such of the
Department's schemes as were of local rather than of general interest.
But in such cases, it was laid down that

"the Department shall not, in the absence of any special
considerations, apply or approve of the application of money ... to
schemes in respect of which aid is not given out of money provided
by local authorities, or from other local sources."

To meet this requirement, the local authorities were given the power of
raising a limited rate for the purposes of the Act.

That the Act of 1899 has in the main answered the expectations formed of
it by those who were responsible for its introduction there can, I
think, be no doubt. The Act itself, as well as the methods of
administration adopted in carrying out its provisions, have been the
subject of a full inquiry by a Departmental Committee which reported in
1907. Their report must be regarded as on the whole eminently
favourable. In one point only has any important change been recommended.
The Committee suggest that the post of Vice-President of the Department
should not be held by a Minister with a seat in Parliament, nor yet by a
regular civil servant, but should be an office _sui generis_ tenable
for five years with power of reappointment. No effect has so far been
given to this proposal by legislation.

THE UNIONIST ATTITUDE.

In this brief sketch of the measures passed by Unionist Governments
since 1886 with the object of promoting the material prosperity of