§ Mr. FIELDasked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) 1325W what measures the Department are taking to ensure an adequate supply of livestock, cattle, horses, sheep, and pigs for breeding purposes; and whether any regulations are under consideration or will be issued with regard to corn, potatoes, green crops, and flax, so as to preclude a shortage of food or manufacturing products?
§ Mr. RUSSELLOn the outbreak of the War, the Department immediately issued a notice to farmers warning them strongly against disposing of breeding animals or immature stock. They advised that there should be no diminution in the number of livestock kept, and that, where circumstances permitted, the total head of stock, particularly pigs, should be increased. All the agricultural instructors and overseers employed throughout the country were specially instructed to urge this policy on farmers. The Department have taken every opportunity, through the agency of the Press and otherwise, of pressing on the agricultural community the advisability of this course. The Council of Agriculture, the county committees of agriculture, and the clergy, have co-operated vigorously with the Department to the same end. The necessity of sowing catch crops for the feeding of cattle, and for sowing a larger area with wheat, and increasing tillage generally, has also been strongly emphasised by the Department, with the result that there has been a large extension of catch cropping, while the area under wheat appears to have been increased in every county Farmers have also been strongly advised to extend the area under oats. Early purchase of seed was recommended, and those who had oats suitable for seed were urged to retain it for that purpose. The question of the supply of flax seed for a largely increased sowing for the coming season has been engaging the1326W constant attention of the Department, who are are present in communication with the Foreign Office regarding the importation of supplies of this seed from Russia. The Department do not consider that special Governmental regulations in the matter are necessary. It is not anticipated that there will be any unusual shortage of home-grown foods or feeding-stuffs before next harvest. I am forwarding to the hon. Member some documents issued by the Department in regard to the matters referred to in his question.
§ Mr. FIELDasked the Vice-President of the Department Of Agriculture (Ireland) whether he can arrange with the President of the Board of Trade that the officials and inspectors of the Department shall examine and report upon the livestock loading banks on the different railway lines in Ireland; whether he is aware that, owing to their unprotected condition, most of those loading-banks are inconvenient and dangerous to public safety?
§ Mr. RUSSELLThe Department are not at present aware that grounds exist for general procedure of the character proposed in this question. If specific instances can be adduced, however, in which the condition of loading banks is faulty in the way suggested, inquiries will be instituted on behalf of the Department, and, if necessary, representations, with a view to remedy, will be made to the company concerned. There have been within recent years considerable improvements effected in the arrangements for loading livestock at Irish railway stations, but at many stations where the loading bank is used, both for livestock and general goods traffic, protective fixtures would constitute an obstruction and could not reasonably be insisted on.