asked the Minister for Lands and Agriculture if his attention has been called to a report appearing in the issue of the Irish Times of October 20th, 1927, regarding the condition and packing of an exhibit of eggs from the Irish Free State at the Dairy Show, Islington, and if he has any observations to make thereon.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - EXHIBIT OF IRISH EGGS.
asked the Minister for Lands and Agriculture if his attention has been drawn to the report of the London Dairy Show, which appeared in the Irish Times of Thursday, 20th October, and in particular to the statement in the report that great indignation was expressed in regard to the samples of Free State eggs shown by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, and whether the exhibit complained of was shown with the approval of his Department, and if he proposes to make any inquiry into the matter.
Mr. HOGAN
I propose to take these two questions together. My attention has been called to the report referred to and inquiries into the matter have been made. This exhibit was organised by the British Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. The case of Irish Free State eggs exhibited at the show was not in any way a case prepared for exhibition purposes, but was sent, at the request of the British Ministry, by an important London wholesale firm as a normal commercial sample of Free State eggs. Under the regulations of the British Ministry the commercial samples thus obtained were not to be opened until arrival at the exhibition premises, and inspection by officers of the Trade Department of the High Commissioner's Office was not allowed until the show had opened. This particular case was made of native Irish timber, which was, of course, of a rather darker colour than surrounding cases made of imported foreign timber. The case appears to have been slightly damaged either in transit or in the opening; but both the case and the method of packing the eggs therein complied with the Department's regulations under the Eggs Act, the case being originally supplied by a quite satisfactory firm of egg shippers. In view, however, of the partial defects referred to, even though the standard required was a commercial and not an exhibition standard, representations were at once made to the British Ministry by the Free State Commissioner for Trade, with the result that on the second day of the show other cases picked from Free State commercial consignments were on exhibition.
The eggs were of good quality, and were sold at top price. The straw and method of packing were of a good commercial standard; but there can be no doubt that a better sample could have been found for exhibition purposes.