§ MR. FFRENCH (Wexford, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the Commissioners of National Education in Ireland, in the latest edition of their agricultural class-book, deliberately advertise imported agricultural machinery to the disadvantage of the article made in Ireland; and if this statement is true will he recommend the Commissioners of National Education to give a fair field to Irish manufacturers?
MR. J. MORLEYThe particular book referred to in the question contains a variety of illustrations of agricultural implements named after their inventors or manufacturers, but with no intention of advertising the implements. In the next edition, should another edition come into use, all this will so far as practicable be corrected. The book referred to obtains little or no circulation in the National Schools, less than 400 copies having been sold last year. The book, which is practically the agricultural text-book of the National' Schools, and prescribed in the Commissioners' pro- 459 gramme for the instruction of the pupils, is that designated "Introduction to Practical Farming," of which about 22,000 were sold last year. This book is in no respect open to the charge conveyed in the first part of the question.