I do not see much use in discussing this motion any further as the Minister for Agriculture is not here. I must say that I was rather disappointed with his attitude and his whole approach to the subject of the motion. His speech, to a great extent, was most inconsistent. He said that the granting of this bonus to the farmers would make paupers of them. If that be so why is that argument not carried to its logical conclusion? Why give premiums for bulls and boars? Why should not the man who has a good cow be entitled to get a bonus since he is entitled to a premium if he has a good bull? If he has a good cow and takes her to a show he may win a prize with her. I think that the whole tone of the Minister's speech was very inconsistent. The agricultural community thought that in the Minister they had found a worthy successor of the late Paddy Hogan.
The Minister disappointed us very much on this motion. He said that any proposal that would be put up to increase cow-testing would be considered favourably by him. One of my reasons for putting down this motion was to increase cow-testing. Nobody could benefit under my proposal unless he was in a cow-testing association. An extension of these associations is necessary if we are to increase milk production, and we know that everybody wants more milk and more butter. Yet when a proposal of that kind is put up it is turned down by the Minister without giving it the smallest consideration. All that I can do now is to make my protest against the way the motion was treated and ask the leave of the House to withdraw it.