§ MR. WILLIAM ABRAHAM (Cork County, N. E.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is now in a position to state the decision arrived at by the Agriculture and Technical Instruction Board with regard to improving the dairy industry in county Cork and other counties by making advances to farmers, in the form of loans, for the purpose of assisting them to purchase hand-separators.
§ MR. WYNDHAMThe Vice-President of the Department fully explained at the recent meeting of the Agricultural Council the objections to making loans to individuals for purposes such as those suggested in the question. If, however, with or without the assistance of a local authority, associations of farmers approach the Department with any scheme of agricultural loans embodying satisfactory security and provision for punctual repayment, Such scheme will be duly considered.