58 and 59. Mr. GIN NELLasked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland), (1) in view of the present opportunity for developing bogs for fuel and other products, and the number of tracts of bog obtainable at a nominal price in connection with the sale of the estates to which they belong, if he will explain why the Department have not exercised their statutory power of buying and developing some of those areas for a useful industry now becoming necessary; whether they 264 will do so this season; and (2) if he will state the estimated cost delivered in Ireland of the requisite machinery for the efficient manufacture from bog of fuel as manufactured for engine and domestic use in other countries; and, if the Department have no scheme in operation this season for meeting the growing necessity for this commodity, will he account for its omission?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe price of machinery for the manufacture of improved peat fuel—dealing with an output of 4,000 tons per annum—delivered in Ireland would be about £1,250. This price does not include the erection of the machinery, sheds, rails, trucks, and drainage of bog. Including the above items a capital sum of about £3,500 would be necessary for the starting of such an industry, but this sum would not include the cost of purchase of the bog. The Department have given very careful consideration to the methods in use-on the Continent for the manufacture of peat by means of machinery. Their inquiries have led to the conclusion that, owing to the different conditions existing in Ireland, the same methods would not, generally speaking, be applicable to this country for the production of peat for domestic purposes. Arrangements were made for the Department's representatives to investigate, in August, 1914, the results of the working of a new type of German machine reported to give better results than those previously in use, but the outbreak of hostilities interfered with this inquiry. So far hand-made turf is much cheaper to manufacture in Ireland than the machine-made product. The Department are drawing the attention of those engaged in the peat-cutting industry to the importance of cutting as much as possible during the present season. The Department do not propose to purchase any peat areas.
§ Mr. GINNELLThe right hon. Gentleman has spoken about the cost of the bog-land. Is not that really nominal in connection with the sale of land under the Land Purchase Act?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI said that the sum I would give would not include the price at which the bog was purchased. I hope bogs will be cheap, but I do not know.
§ 69. Mr. GINNELLasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland what action, if any, 265 the Irish Executive has taken with reference to owners of large tracts of bog in Ireland who, instead of availing of the present opportunity for developing the bogs for fuel and other products, have dismissed their normal young labourers in order to force them to enlist; and, seeing that such compulsion is not allowed in England, what action he proposes to take with regard to its practice in Ireland?
§ Mr. BIRRELLIn view of a possible shortage of coal supplies in Ireland the Local Government Board have already drawn the attention of boards of guardians to the desirability of suggesting to turf owners the cutting of plentiful supplies of bog, not only for their own use, but for sale, and the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction are circularising county committees in the same sense. I have no grounds for believing that any person is being forced to enlist in Ireland.
§ Mr. GINNELLIs not this one of the cases in which the Chief Secretary prefers not to know the facts?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI am always glad to know facts, but it is difficult to find them.