HC Deb 16 February 1905 vol 141 cc326-7
COLONEL NOLAN (Galway, N.)

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury if he would supplement the grant of the Irish Agricultural Department by making a moderate contribution from the Imperial Exchequer towards cheapening the seed potatoes which are now being supplied on loan to small occupiers in the more distressed unions of Ireland.

MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN

The Agricultural Department has made a grant of £10,000 for the purpose of administration of the seed supply and the reduction of the price of seed. This grant will reduce the charge in respect of principal and interest on the seed loans, so that it is expected that the occupiers will obtain the seed at something under the market price at the port of despatch. The cost of the seed inspectors will fall on the Votes; but it would be a new departure, unwarranted in my opinion by the circumstances, to make a grant for the seed itself direct from Votes.

MR. DILLON (Mayo, E.)

put a Supplementary Question, but Mr. WYNDHAM asked that notice should be given of it.