§ Mr. JAMES O'CONNOR (Wicklow, W.)I beg to ask the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) who is responsible for the appointment of Mr. William Townley Seymour McCartney Filgate as inspector of industries in Ireland; can he state the nature of the duties performed by Mr. Pilgate; how much of his official time is occupied in discharging his duties; what were his travelling expenses for the year ended 31st December, 1907; what is the amount of his salary; can he state Mr. Filgate's qualifications for the position of inspector of industries in Ireland; what was his employment previous to his appointment as inspector of industries in Ireland; and did he ever pass a Civil Service examination, or any examination as a test of his fitness to be an inspector of Irish industries.
§ Mr. T. W. RUSSELLMr. W. T. McCartney Filgate was appointed as inspector of industries under the Department by my predecessor in office, with Treasury sanction. The date of his appointment was the 1st April, 1900. Mr. Filgate's duties, which occupy his whole official time, are to inquire into and advise upon questions relating to the establishment of industries, to visit, direct, and report upon the training of workers in new industries, when such training is being aided by the Department; to inquire into possible markets 898 for Irish manufacturers; to inquire and' to report upon British and Continental industries suitable for introduction into Ireland, and to endeavour to secure, where necessary, the introduction of capital to"enable such industries to be established Mr. Filgate, during the time he has been in the employment of the Department, has also organised and taken charge of special Industrial Exhibits at the Exhibitions held in Glasgow in 1901, in Cork in 1902, in St. Louis in 1904, in Limerick in 1903, and in Dublin in 1907, these special exhibits being either maintained or subsidised by the Department. Mr. Filgate's travelling expenses for the year ended 31st December, 1907, amounted to £67 2s. 1d., this amount being small, owing to Mr. Filgate's services being devoted for the greater part of the year to the Irish Industries Section of the Dublin Exhibition. His scale of salary is £300, rising by annual increments of £15 to a maximum of £400, his present salary being £400. Mr. Filgate was trained in the well known East Indian firm of Messrs. Graham & Company, where he served for ten years, during which period he acquired an intimate knowledge of commercial work in its various branches, including textile manufacture. Mr. Filgate acted as organiser and secretary to the Countess of Cadogan's Textile Exhibition in the year 1897, and in the year 1898 he was appointed secretary to the Irish Committee of the Royal Commission for the purposes of the Paris Exhibition. Mr. Filgate received a Civil Service Certificate under Clause VII. of the Order in Council of the 4th June, 1870. without examination, the Commissioners being satisfied as to his. qualifications for the post.
§ Mr. JAMES O'CONNORWhat, industries has Mr. Filgate inspected and how much of his time is occupied?
§ Mr. T. W. RUSSELLDuring the whole of the past year he was employed at the Dublin Exhibition.
§ Mr. JAMES O'CONNORIs the, hon. Gentleman aware that the chief industries of Ireland are the brewing, the distilling, and the linen? Does he inspect them?
§ Mr. T. W. RUSSELLThese are-the leading industries, but a great 899 Industrial revival is going on, and more than one inspector will be required if we are to do our duty.
§ Mr. J. MACVEAGHIs one of the chief reasons for the appointment of this gentleman to be found in the fact he was an orator on Unionist platforms in England?
§ Mr. T. W. RUSSELLI am not -aware of that; I did not appoint him.
§ Mr. MOONEY (Newry)How many hours a day does this gentleman work? Is it a case like that of Mr. Porter?
§ Mr. CLANCY (Dublin County, N.)Has the hon. Gentleman had an opportunity of testing Mr. Filgate's qualifications? Is he worth his money?
§ Mr. T. W. RUSSELLI have told how he has been occupied since I became Vice-President.
§ Mr. JAMES O'CONNORWas the appointment created simply in order to give him a claim to draw money out of the public funds?
§ Mr. J. MACVEAGHDid I understand the hon. Gentleman to say this appointment was made on the 1st April?
§ Mr. PATRICK WHITEHow was Mr. Filgate employed before he got this appointment? How long was he out of employment?
§ Mr. T. W. RUSSELLI really cannot state how he was employed in the year 1906.
§ Mr. PATRICK WHITEWas he then out of employment?
§ Mr. CHARLES CRAIG (Antrim, S.)Is it the endeavour of hon. Members below the Gangway to drive this man out in the same way as they did Sir Horace Plunkett?