§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if the Irish Department of Agriculture is continuing the tobacco growing experiments in Ireland this year; and whether he can state if the Department has formed any opinion on the experiments already made.
§ MR. ATKINSON (for Mr. WYNDHAM)The Department have not continued the experiments this year. The results of the experiments previously made have now sufficiently proved that tobacco can be grown and artificially cured in Ireland, and the crop manufactured, when blended with American leaf, into a smoking tobacco. Investigations are at present in progress with a view to ascertaining the commercial value of the crop grown in past years. Pending the results of this test the Department cannot say whether further experiments will be carried out next year.
§ MR. FLAVIN (Kerry, N.)May I ask the right hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has formed any opinion about the sample of Irish tobacco which I gave him a few evenings ago?
§ MR. RITCHIEI have not tried it myself; I have given it to a friend to try.
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether that friend is the Colonial Secretary?
§ MR. FLAVINIs it not the fact that the right hon. Gentleman himself expressed an opinion in favour of the quality of the tobacco, so far as he could judge?
§ MR. RITCHIEIt had a very nice aroma, but I do not know whether that was due to the Irish tobacco or the American tobacco which was mixed with it.
§ MR. FLAVINI will supply the right hon. Gentleman with another sample for his own use.
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman the Colonial Secretary whether he will turn his attention to this subject?
§ *MR. SPEAKEROrder, order!