§ 24. Colonel SHARMAN-CRAWFORDasked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture, Ireland, if he has received resolutions passed by Flax Mill Owners' Associations and other bodies, representing the need that exists to induce small farmers' sons to become scutch mill workers; and if the Department of Agriculture is prepared to initiate a scheme by which apprentices will be induced to learn this trade?
§ Mr. RUSSELLThe Department have received from the Flax Mill Owners' Association and from other bodies resolutions calling on them to initiate a scheme for training young men in the scutching of flax. As it appeared that the scarcity of flax scutchers was due largely to the insufficient number of qualified scutch mill foremen capable of training young men who might wish to take up the trade, the Department have arranged for the special training as foremen of a number of experienced scutchers who will, it is hoped, on completion of their training, be competent to instruct beginners.