§ MR. JOHN O'CONNOR (Kildare, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that teachers of primary schools in the rural parts of England are allowed 5S. per pupil for the teaching of gardening, and that such teaching of the future labourers and small farmers in Ireland is of importance to the country; have the Commissioners passed a resolution allowing a similar fee to that paid in England to teachers in Irish primary schools for like teaching; and have the Treasury yet sanctioned the proposed expenditure.
§ MR. BIRRELLIt is the case that fees for instruction in gardening are given in English primary schools, but not, I think, to the amount mentioned in the Question. I find that last year the Commissioners of National Education in Ireland made a proposal that a special fee of 5S. per pupil should be given for instruction in gardening at rural schools. It was not then considered desirable to entertain the proposal, more especially in
† See page148 view of the inquiry which was being held into the working of the Department of Agriculture. The Report of the Committee shows that numerous witnesses advocated the establishment of school gardens, but the question of the means to be adopted to that end does not appear to have been determined. Personally, I am quite in favour of school gardens, and will see that the matter receives further consideration when opportunity offers.