§ Mr. BOLANDasked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland.) why, on 12th September, on their own scheme for the marketing of honey, under paragraph 8, the Department quote 7½d. as the standard wholesale price for a fancy or first-grade section of honey 1037W when this was generally from 9½d. to l1d. in Ireland; why, when supplying the Ken-mare Bee Association on the same date with the names of buyers of honey, Form A 268, did they not give the names of firms inside and outside of Dublin who were giving better prices than the I. A. W. S., whose terms exactly they gave or quoted; why did they supply to the same association on the same date the name of a firm which is not a buyer of honey, whilst withholding the names of other firms; and whether steps will be taken to provide the Kenmare Bee Association with all the necessary information to secure the most advantageous price for their honey?
§ Mr. RUSSELLThe Department are not aware that the wholesale price for honey generally in Ireland at the date of their letter to the Kenmare Association was as stated in the question—i.e., 9½ d. to l1d. per section. The association were informed by the Department of a number of firms in Ireland and England whose names had been furnished to the Department as buyers of honey, and with whom it was anticipated that the association might do business on advantageous terms. The Department also stated that they were, in accordance with their scheme for aiding in the marketing of honey, willing to dispose of the small lot of honey in question, which had been used for demonstration purposes. The Department did not offer 7½d. per section, but, fearing that the association might be misinformed as to current prices owing to inaccurate statements which had appeared in the public Press, they mentioned that it was understood that the current wholesale price in Dublin was about 7s. 6d. a dozen sections. The Department were not aware that any firm mentioned by them was not buying honey on the date referred to. If satisfactory business does not result between producers and firms whose names are suggested by the Department, the Department are prepared to supply additional names, so far as available.