MR. HERBERTasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, Whether he will have the provisions of the Act 33 and 34 Vic. c. 22, extended to Ireland, so as to allow the Irish farmers the same privileges as the English and Scotch farmers have of germinating grain for the purposes of cattle feeding?
§ SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACHAn Order in Council was passed by the Irish Privy Council on the 5th instant prohibiting the importation of animals into Ireland. The subject of germinating grain in Ireland for the feeding of cattle has been more than once brought under the notice of the House, and I have been in communication with my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer upon it. The result of inquiries which have been made from the Constabulary and Inland Revenue authorities is to show that the Government would not be justified in proposing to extend the Act, 33 & 34 Vict. c. 22, to Ireland. Illicit distillation still prevails in that country to an extent quite unknown in Great Britain, and the extension of this Act to Ireland would largely increase the facilities for committing this offence; while, on the other hand, it would not seem that the want of this Act can impose any real hardship on Irish farmers, as it is almost a dead letter in Great Britain. It has now been in force there for six years, yet in all England and Wales there are only 182 farms at which the process sanctioned by it is carried on, while in Scotland there is only one.