§ SIR JOHN HAYasked the Vice President of the Council, as suggested by him on the 5th April, When the Geological Surveys of England, Ireland, and Scotland will be completed?
§ MR. MUNDELLASir, I am informed by the Director General of the Geological Survey that he hopes, if the results of the survey are embodied in maps and sections on the 1-inch to a mile scale, showing the solid and the superficial geology of the country, and on the 6-inch to a mile scale for mineral districts and coalfields, the solid geology of England and Wales on the 1-inch scale will be completed in two and a-half years, when a considerable portion of 222 the staff will be transferred to Scotland. The survey on the 1-inch scale of the solid and superficial geology of Ireland will be completed in seven years, and that of Scotland in 11 years. I am also informed that the re-survey for the superficial geology of England and Wales of those areas which were originally surveyed for their solid geology alone will then take about 20 years. I ought to add that that is the estimate furnished by the Director General; but we hope within the next few months to complete the re-organization of the surveying staff, and we shall spare no efforts to secure the execution of the work at as early a date as possible. The whole question of the re-organization of the staff is now under consideration, and before Parliament meets again the Government hope to be in a position to state what arrangements have been made.
§ SIR JOHN HAYexpressed a hope that the geological survey of Scotland would not be postponed until after the completion of that of the other parts of the United Kingdom.
§ MR. MUNDELLAsaid, no; certainly not. What they meant was that, when the superficial survey of England was completed, they should transfer part of the official staff to supplement that in Scotland.
§ MR. PARNELLasked the right hon. Gentleman whether he could explain the reason why the geological survey of Ireland occupied so much greater time than that of England?
§ MR. MUNDELLA, in reply, said, he had stated that the geological survey of Ireland would be completed four years sooner than that of Scotland, and one reason why it would not be completed earlier was that part of it had to be re-surveyed, owing to some fault having been discovered in the previous survey.
§ MR. PARNELLsuggested that, as the survey took place by counties, the results as to counties could be published separately.
§ MR. DAWSONsaid, there was a very great question in Ireland as to whether a mistake in the survey did really exist, and whether the re-survey that was taking place of late had not been only doing what had been done before, and neglecting the work that ought to be done.