On the 6th May a telegram was sent to Colonel Sir Nugent Everard: "Finance Ministry prepared to increase existing grant of twenty-five pounds to forty pounds per acre actually cropped in 1923, or, alternatively, will sanction, in lieu of existing grant, payment of one shilling per pound of marketable tobacco actually produced in 1923, and sold, subject to acreage being limited to sixty acres. These offers are conditional on your waiving any claim you may have to a special grant or compensation in respect of uncropped areas in 1921 or later. The conditions of your existing agreement, dated 23rd January, 1914, except clause two, will apply."
That telegram was before a meeting of the tobacco-growers of the County Meath, with representatives of Labour present, on the following day, and they passed the following resolution:—"That this meeting of the tobacco-growers of Meath, with representatives of Labour, having had under consideration the offer of the Ministry of Agriculture of a grant of forty pounds per acre, or 1s. per lb. of marketable tobacco grown in 1923 and sold, beg to point out that the proposed grant, which is thirty per cent. less than the preference given to Indian tobacco over American in our markets, is altogether inadequate, and is, moreover, hedged in by impossible conditions, such as the waiving by Colonel Sir N.T. Everard, the rehandler, of his claim for payment of moneys due to him from the Department. The offer amounts to this, that the growers will get an additional grant of £15 per acre, limited to 60 acres, provided the rehandler forfeits the equivalent of £17 9s. per acre for 60 acres, or £26 4s. if only 40 acres are grown, money actually due to him."
I have only just had these particulars put into my hand, and have had no opportunity of going into them, out it seems that an explanation is required of the rather curious attempt to compromise, so that a gentleman to whom the State owes money should have the condition imposed upon him that he should waive his claim and take something less than his claim or he will get nothing. Does the Minister agree that he has no answer to that?