§ Mr. HURDasked the Minister of Agriculture if his attention has been drawn to the statement of the chairman of the Somerset agricultural instruction committee to the effect that the Ministry 914W of Agriculture has replaced one livestock officer at Bristol by five official inspectors; and what is the reason for this increase?
§ Major BARNSTONMy attention has been drawn to the statement in question. The district of the livestock officer stationed at Bristol originally comprised the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Wilts, Gloucestershire, Hereford and Worcester. As the Ministry's livestock scheme developed, it was found impossible for one livestock officer to deal with the work and the district was accordingly divided, in 1920, into three districts, namely, Somerset and Dorset, in which there is one livestock officer; Gloucester and Wilts, in which there is one livestock officer and an assistant; Hereford, Worcester and Warwick, in which there is also one livestock officer and one assistant.