27. Mr. WILLIAM REDMONDasked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether the new plan for encouraging tobacco growing in Ireland on the lines recommended by the Development Commissioners has yet been commenced; and if he can state briefly what the main provisions of this new plan are?
§ Mr. RUSSELLArrangements for carrying out the further experiments in tobacco growing, for which an advance from the Development Fund has been sanctioned by the Treasury, are now almost complete, but the experiments have not yet been commenced. The main provisions of the new plan are as follows: (1) That the approved experimenter shall arrange for the cropping of an area not exceeding 150 acres, at least three-fourths of which shall be on the land of working farmers; (2) that the experimenter shall undertake to provide the growers with all necessary instruction and equipment; (3) that the experimenter shall purchase the growers' crop at a price fixed on a commercial basis as soon as the tobacco is in a position to be delivered to him; (4) that the experimenter shall establish a rehandling station equipped with approved machinery for re-handling all the tobacco in accordance with American methods adapted to Irish conditions; (5) that the experimenter shall manufacture a considerable portion of the crop in a factory under his control in such a way as to ascertain the best possibilities of Irish tobacco; (6) that all the operations shall be open to inspection by the Department and that full reports, including statements of accounts, shall be furnished by the experimenter in respect of each portion of the work; (7) that, subject to compliance with the prescribed conditions, a Grant at the rate of £25 per acre cropped will be payable to the experimenter; (8) that the experiment shall be continued ever a period of ten years.
§ Mr. MOOREWill the right hon. Gentleman grant a Return showing the names of the persons who have been selected for this Grant of Government money?
§ Mr. RUSSELLAt the present moment they have not been selected—
§ Mr. RUSSELLSo far as the Department is concerned, the rehandler will be Sir Nugent Everard, the only one possible in the country; and, so far as possible, the original growers in Wexford, Louth, and other counties will be brought into business with him.
§ Mr. MOOREIf the Department are going to provide these people with equipment and a money Grant, surely we may have a Return of the names of the persons who are expected to get these State Grants?
§ Mr. RUSSELLCertainly, and if the hon. and learned Gentleman will move for a Return when the matter is complete I shall have great pleasure in giving it.
Mr. WILLIAM REDMONDMay I ask whether it is not the fact that the Development Commissioners have made provision for two experiments by two experimenters; whether it is true that only one scheme has yet been agreed to by the Departments; and is it not a fact that the names of the tobacco growers in Ireland are quite well known?
§ Mr. RUSSELLThat is so. It is quite true that the Development Commissioners were willing to make a larger grant of £70,000 instead of £35,000, but there was the condition attached to it that there should be a second rehandler or experimenter—as he is called in the answer—and he has not yet been selected.