§ Mr. LUNDONasked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) what are his intentions regarding the carrying through, or otherwise, of the Butter Bill?
§ Mr. T. W. RUSSELLAfter consultation with those interested in the matter, the Butter Bill has been finally prepared, and will be introduced at the first available opportunity if it can be treated as a non-contentious measure.
§ Mr. LUNDONasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will ascertain, under separate heads, what quantity of butter, new milk, and cream have been sent over from Ireland to Great Britain from the beginning of the year to 1st November; what has been the average per cwt. or per gallon, as the case may be, charged by the railway company; and if separate returns could be given for each Irish county?
§ Mr. T. W. RUSSELLThe information asked for is not available. In the year 1910 the exports from Ireland to Great Britain of the commodities mentioned were: Butter, 698,907 cwts.; milk (whole and separated), 5,836 cwts.; cream, 13,809 cwts. Returns are not received by the Department of exports from each Irish county. The average cost of transit could not be ascertained without an expenditure of time, trouble, and money, which, in the view of the Department, would not be justified in the circumstances.