§ Mr. MacNEILLasked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether he has received representations on behalf of fishermen, owners of boats, curers, salesmen, resident in and engaged in the herring fishing industry on the coast of Donegal, the chairman and members of the county and district councils of Donegal, and persons engaged in or connected with the herring industry of the North-West coast of Donegal, that the erection of a whaling station at Rusheen, on the coast of Mayo, would destroy the herring fisheries and probably the other fisheries of the West coast of Ireland, which representations are confirmed by the bye-laws on whaling framed by the Department in 1908 and the Irish Whaling Act of 1908; whether he is aware that at an inquiry held at Mallaranny, on Tuesday, 23rd March, by Messrs. Green and Holt, the inspectors of the Department, into an application of the Arranmore Whaling Company for a licence to land whales in a port of Ireland and engage in the manufacture from whales of oil and other ordinary products, the inspectors refused to hear any evidence against the issue of the licence, which they said that they had already decided to grant and were only sitting to ascertain what bye-laws should be made by the Department and what restrictions, if any, should be imposed on the licensees, although any licence issued pursuant to the Statute 8 Edward 7., c. 31, would in effect be a licence in perpetuity; and whether, having regard to the fact that the publication of the notice of application for a licence was not proved at this inquiry, the only evidence given being the production of a certificate of registration of the Arranmore Whaling Company in Edinburgh and the statement of a Captain Burn that the company's boats last summer pursued and captured whales within an area extending from 10 to 80 miles from Rusheen and a claim by him that the licence should be granted without restriction or limitation, as he could not say in what part of the West coast whaling would be most profitable to the company, while the admission of evidence was refused to prove that whalers from Rusheen, if licensed, could pursue and capture whales in the fishing beds along the West coast, and thereby not only prevent the development but destroy the existence of the fishing industry, he can state what action the Department propose to take for the prevention of whaling on the Irish coast and the establishment of this whaling station, 2025 which constitutes a danger to the procuring of the means of subsistence by inhabitants of that seaboard? I put the question, and apologise for its length.
§ Mr. RUSSELLThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. These representations were duly received and considered. In regard to the scond, the opponents of the licence did not comply with the Statute, which provides that objectors must give 140 days' notice of every objection. They gave no notice, and, although the inspectors offered to waive the point, the applicants refused assent. It is not the case that the application for the licence was not proved at the inquiry. All the necessary notices were served in legal form by the applicants. The Department do not agree that this industry, pursued under proper provision and in proper places, can have any effect upon the fishing industry, and they do not, therefore, propose to take any steps such as the hon. Member suggests. Every application for a licence will be considered on its merits.
§ Mr. MacNEILLIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that professional men from Donegal attended with their witnesses to prove the case for Donegal, and that the evidence was entirely shut out? Is he aware that Mr. Green, the Commissioner, stated that it was a foregone conclusion, and that it was merely a formal matter?
§ Mr. T. W. RUSSELLI do not think that ought to be said with reference to Mr. Green. Notice was given of serious objection.
§ Mr. MacNEILLIs it not rather a serious thing, on a merely technical point, to shut out evidence which the inhabitants of Donegal considered vital?
§ Mr. T. W. RUSSELLI think it a serious thing that the solicitor for the opponents did not serve the legal notice.