Mr. Gerald Balfour introduced on Monday a Bill estab- lishing
a Department of Agriculture and other Industries and Technical Instruction in Ireland, based on the measure brought in two years ago. The new Bill, he explained, concentrates in one Department functions at present distri- buted between five or six different Departments ; provides machinery and funds for extending to other parts of Ireland the operations of the Congested Districts Board in the con- gested districts ; and promotes technical instruction in relation to urban industries. The income to be allotted to the Department would be £166,000 a year, derived chiefly from the Imperial Exchequer, from the Irish Church Fund, and from certain savings effected under the Judicature Act of 1897. A definite sum of £55,000 a year was a'located to urban technical instruction ; £10,000 to sea, fisheries ; and the remaining £111,000 to agriculture and other rural industries. The new Department, which would be directly responsible to Parlia- ment through the Chief Secretary as its President and a new Parliamentary officer as its Vice-President, was to be assisted in the application of its funds by an Agricultural Board and a Board of Technical Instruction ; but only a minority of the members on these Boards would be nominated by the Govern- ment, the majority being chosen by the County Councils. After Mr. =on had protested against the introduction of so important a measure under the ten minutes rule, and denounced its finance as shabby and unsatisfactory, the Bill Was read a first time.
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