Captain CRAIGasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether his attention had been drawn to printed instructions 824 issued to members of the Royal Irish Constabulary who act as enumerators of agricultural statistics in Ireland, particularly to paragraph (51) thereof; whether any applications for portfolios were received by the Department last year; if so, how many; whether the Department supplied portfolios to the applicants; if not, why was this not done; and whether, if applications be made this year by enumerators who have not portfolios, they will be granted?
§ The CHIEF SECRETARY for IRELAND (Mr. Birrell)My attention has been called to the instructions referred to. The Department of Agriculture received applications for portfolios last year from nineteen constabulary districts; 138 portfolios were asked for and ninety were supplied. Owing to changes made this year in the method of recording the statistics the Department do not consider that portfolios will now be required by enumerators.
Captain CRAIGMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether, if the enumerators have to carry these forms around the country, sometimes in bad weather, there is not a danger of the papers getting destroyed?
§ Mr. BIRRELLYes, sir; it has been thought that another method can be substituted for the portfolios: the men will have a book given them.