§ 21. Mr. GINNELLasked whether the Return of Peat Bogs, of which notice appears on the Order Paper, will be granted; and, if there is any difficulty, with what modification would it be granted?
§ Mr. BIRRELLAny Return on the lines suggested would involve a great deal of labour and much expense, and would take 1213 a long time to prepare. I do not think that any useful purpose would be served by the compilation of such a Return. The Department of Agriculture are always ready to afford all available information to any person or company interested in the question of peat deposits in Ireland.
§ 26. Mr. GINNELLasked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland), whether he has made himself acquainted with the opinions of peat fuel experts in Russia, Germany, Sweden, Norway, and Canada that Irish peat is superior to theirs for the manufacture of fuel, seeing that this manufacture, nevertheless, pays in those countries; whether there is any reason known to the Department why it should not do so in Ireland; whether he will procure and make available in Ireland a statement of the process of pulping, whereby peat is, without pressure, rendered harder than oak; at whose instance and at what expense has the Department procured a Dutch instructor for the manufacture of peat litter; and whether the Department is prepared to procure a competent instructor in the manufacture of peat fuel, on being satisfied with a practical scheme for that purpose?
§ Mr. T. W. RUSSELL (Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture, Ireland)The Department are not at present prepared to express an opinion as to whether or not a peat fuel industry could be successfully established in Ireland, the conditions there being very different from those of the countries referred to by the hon. Member. If the hon. Gentleman will supply further particulars as to the process of pulping to which he refers the Department will make inquiries about it. At the instance of two firms engaged in the manufacture of peat moss litter in Ireland, the Department made in each case a Grant of £50 towards the cost of obtaining the services of a Dutch peat, worker to give instructions to the people employed in these works. The Department are prepared to consider similar applications from other firms engaged in industries of this kind who desire technical instruction for their workers.
§ Mr. GINNELLHave the right hon. Gentleman or the Department seen specimens of this peat from Sweden?
§ Mr. RUSSELLYes, Sir. We have had a great deal of experience of this peat industry, and the result has not been such as to tempt us to go any further.