§ Mr. FIELDasked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether he is aware that paper pulp has been manufactured from Irish peat, and that some time since the National Peat Industry Company made successful experiments in that direction; whether a German syndicate made an offer to purchase the company; and whether the Department will inquire into this matter and report upon it?
§ Mr. RUSSELLThe Department are aware that two attempts have been made in Ireland in recent years to manufacture paper pulp from peat, with unsuccessful results. A factory for making millboard from peat was erected about ten years ago by the National Peat Industry, at Umeras,
Year. Source of Income. Total Income. Parliamentary Votes, including Science and Art Grants to Schools and Classes.* General Cattle Diseases Fund: Assessments and Fines. Endowment Fund, including Interest on Securities, Loans, etc. (1) (2) (3) (4) £ £ £ £ 1910–11 … … 208,538 15,232 206,279║ 430,049 1911–12 … … 232,315 16,111 206,213║ 454,639 1912–13 … … 292,250† 17,270 197,976║ 507,496 1913–14 … … 289,219‡ 16,799 196,677║ 502,695 1914–15 … … 340,507§ 16,109 195,518║ 552,134 * The Annual Provision of £37,000 which is made in the Parliamentary Vote (Class II. Vote 36) in respect of the Department's Endowment Fund is not included in this column, but in column 3. † Includes £38,000 in respect of expenditure in connection with Foot-and-Mouth Disease outbreaks. ‡ Includes £8,000 in respect of expenditure in connection with Foot-and-Mouth Disease outbreaks. § Includes £41,000 in respect of expenditure in connection with Foot-and-Mouth Disease outbreaks. ║ Includes a sum of £19,000 provided under Section 49 of the Irish Land Act, 1909, to be paid to the Department in respect of agricultural schemes in Congested Districts. Two grants of £7,000 each were received into the Department's Endowment Fund from the Ireland Development Fund in the years 1910–11 and 1911–12.
708WMonasterevan, but the machinery has been dismantled. A company entitled "Umeras Peat, Limited," have taken over the works in question, and are at present manufacturing peat moss litter and peat dust. The Department have no information as to any offer having been made in the matter by a German syndicate.