HC Deb 22 February 1897 vol 46 cc859-60
COLONEL McCALMONT

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether, in view of the evidence that has been given before the Horse-breeding Commission in Dublin, and made public, as to the harm that is being done to the horse-breeding industry in Ireland, their hackney stallions are to serve again during the coming season, or whether the Government intend to recommend the Board to discontinue its operations in connection with horse-breeding and to apply the money to purposes more generally useful to the congested population for whom it was intended?

*THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. GERALD BALFOUR,) Leeds, Central

I understand that different opinions have been expressed by witnesses already examined before the Horse-breeding Commission in Dublin, some having been in favour of the introduction of the hackney strain and others against. Under these circumstances, and in view of the fact that the Commission has not yet completed its labours or made its report, I cannot but think that my hon. and gallant Friend, on further consideration, will agree with me that it would be in any case premature at the present stage to take any action such as he suggests. I may add that this is a matter entirely for the Congested Districts Board to decide, and that the Government could not usefully take up the position of official adviser to the Board?

COLONEL McCALMONT

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman if his attention has been called to the evidence of probably the best witness before the Commission, in which he stated that if the Government wished to destroy the horse-breeding industry in Ireland they could not set about it in a better way than this?

MR. J. C. FLYNN (Cork, N.)

Will the right hon. Gentleman say, was there not a large amount of evidence in favour of the hackney strain?

*MR. GERALD BALFOUR

Yes, but I think it is not desirable to anticipate the report of the Commission.

MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN (Kilkenny)

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman if the Commission reports against the continued use of the hackney strain will the Government appoint a second Commission to revise the decision of the first, as was done in case of the Financial Relations Committee?

CAPTAIN DONELAN (Cork, E.)

May I ask, is it a fact that the evidence from County Cork was almost unanimous against the introduction of the hackney strain?

*MR. SPEAKER

These questions are, after the answer given, altogether irregular.