§ Mr. GORDONasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that an outbreak of American gooseberry mildew existed in a garden near Draperstown, county Derry, from early spring to the beginning of October last year, and that its existence was reported on several occasions during that period to the Department of Agriculture; whether any and, if so, what steps were taken by the Department to prevent its spread to several extensive gooseberry plantations in the immediate neighbourhood; whether it did, in fact, spread to one of these plantations, and some time ago caused the necessary destruction of over 400 bushes; whether the owner of the plantation, Colonel Waters, in addition to writing several letters to the Department, wrote to the Vice-President and President and could get no satisfactory reply; what justification, if any, had the Department for saying that his complaints were not well founded; whether the disease has since spread to the remainder of Colonel Waters' plantation, necessitating within the last few days the destruction of the entire plantation, comprising about sixteen acres; and whether the Department intends to pursue a similar course of inaction in future, and thereby endanger the existence of the fruit-growing industry which is being developed in the North of Ireland?
§ The CHIEF SECRETARY for IRELAND (Mr. Birrell)The Department of Agriculture inform me that in the summer of 1909 an outbreak of American gooseberry mildew occurred in the garden referred to, and in the plantation owned by Colonel Waters in the same locality. The necessary steps for the suppression of the disease as prescribed by the American gooseberry mildew and black currant mite (Ireland) Order, 1908, were taken by the Department in conjunction with the inspector appointed by the county committee under that Order. Subsequently, a corn-plaint was lodged with the county committee by Colonel Waters, who was afforded an opportunity of appearing at the meeting of the committee, but failed to do so. The committee expressed their entire satisfaction with the measures taken to prevent the spread of the disease. The Department, after careful inquiry, are satisfied that Colonel Waters' complaints are not well founded, and he has been informed accordingly.