§ MR. FLYNNI beg to ask the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether, owing to the appointment by the Department of an unqualified creamery instructor in the early part of last season, 100 out of 128 creameries entered for the Department's surprise butter competitions withdrew from the same, notwithstanding that the Department appealed to the presidents and proprietors of the creameries to forward the exhibits; whether the Irish Creamery Managers' Association and several conferences of co-operative creamery societies have protested against this appointment; and whether, in view of the dissatisfaction thus shown, he will consider the advisability of having these appointments made in future by competitive examination.
§ MR. T. W. RUSSELLThe Department does not admit that an unqualified creamery instructor was appointed in the early part of 1907. Apart from this allegation it is the case that of 128 creameries entered for the competition in September, 1907, 28 (not 100) withdrew. On the occasion of the subsequent competition 47 creameries sent exhibits, and 28 other creameries intimated that at the request of the Irish Creamery Managers' Association they would not send any further exhibits, seven additional creameries declined to send exhibits for reasons in no way connected with the appointment referred to. As stated in reply to a previous Question, the Department is not prepared to confine the appointment of creamery instructors to the managers of creameries, nor is it thought that appointment by competitive examination would secure the best men.
§ Question time being past,