§ 33. Mr. HURDasked the Minister of Agriculture if, as a means of measuring the extent of defective drainage as affecting agricultural production, he will request farmers, when filling in their schedule of agricultural returns next June, to state the number of acres on their holdings which would be improved by tile-drainage?
Mr. GUINNESSThe inquiry proposed by my hon. Friend is outside the scope of the Schedule prescribed by the Agricultural Returns Act, 1925, and I regret, therefore, that I cannot adopt his suggestion.
Mr. GUINNESSWe got the information as to the land which was in need of drainage in connection with the Agricul- 1388 tural Census of Production. In that case we got it through the crop reporters on the Ministry's staff, and that is obviously a more satisfactory method than compiling returns merely on voluntary information supplied by occupiers, and supplied on their own opinion unchecked by others.
§ Mr. A. V. ALEXANDERWhen will the Government be able to introduce legislation as a result of the Report of the Royal Commission on Land Drainage?
Mr. GUINNESSAs soon as the necessary work has been done. There is a good deal of survey work necessary to define the catchment areas, and that is being carried out as quickly as possible.