§ MR. WILLIAM ABRAHAM (Cork County, N.E.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that Mr. Williamson, of Mallow, a seed potato specialist, has offered to supply free of cost to the Irish Agricultural Department one ton of a new variety of potato, styled Duchess of Cornwall, for the purpose of having its merits fully tested in their experimental trials this year; and if he can explain why the offer has been refused, having regard to the fact that the Department have already decided to include this variety of potato in their trials this season; and whether 96 the offer of Mr. Williamson will be reconsidered and accepted.
(Answered by Mr. Walter Long.) The Department do not consider it advisable to accept from seed merchants or seed growers gratuitous supplies of seeds for the purposes of experiment. The Department have already a sufficient supply of the variety mentioned. They are not prepared to reconsider Mr. Williamson's offer.