§ MR. BODKIN (Roscommon, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he has observed that the Annual Report of the Inspectors of Irish Fisheries lately presented to Parliament, so far as one important branch of sea fishing is concerned, deals only with the year 1893, though the spring mackerel fishing of 1893 had passed before it was prepared or presented; whether it would be possible for the Inspectors to make a Report at the end of each mackerel fishing season, showing results of season immediately preceding, so that the owners of the fishing vessels and fishermen generally might be able to gain some information where they would be most likely to obtain profitable results during the ensuing season; whether he is aware that such Reports were made during the last years of Sir Thomas Brady's tenure of office, and proved most serviceable to the fishing interest; and for what reason have they been discontinued by his successor, Mr. Cecil Roche? I beg also to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland how the statement, made at page 19 of the Report of Inspectors of Irish Fisheries, lately presented to Parliament, referring to the mackerel fishing at Arran Island, that, "after all deductions, the prices 1428 realised by the fishermen averaged 24s. per 100," can be reconciled with the Schedule, at page 23, where the prices given as having been obtained from the buyers were 12s. to 24s. per 100; whether the deductions made were 14s. per 100 fish; whether the quantity of fish landed at this place was, as stated in Schedule at page 23 of Report, 4,993 hundreds; which, at 24s. per 100, would give to each vessel employed at Arran during that season over £600; and whether it is the fact that any vessel received any such sum of money over and above all deductions?
MR. J. MORLEYI understand that the Inspectors of Fisheries are engaged on duty in the West of Ireland; and as it has been necessary to personally communicate with them, I would ask the hon. Gentleman to defer this question until Thursday next—as well as the question which follows, and the Notice of Motion on the same subject, which also stands in his name for to-day.