§ CAPTAIN MCCALMONT (Antrim, E.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland—(1) if he could state to the House how many hackney sires were in the possession of the Congested Districts Board between 31st March 1894 and 31st March 1895, and what was their total cost as regards keep and maintenance; and (2) how many mares were served during this period, and of these how many belonged to occupiers of holdings at £5 and under?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURDuring the period in question 19 hackney sires were in the possession of the Congested Districts Board, and the cost of their keep and maintenance amounted to.£1,520. In reply to the second paragraph, the number of mares is 1,209, the owners being all occupiers of holdings valued at less than £20 a year, and about seven-eighths of these were the property of occupiers rated at £5 and under.