228 SECTIONAL ADDRESSES. 



In its administration of the Act Northern Ireland has advisedly 

 adopted a cautious and lenient policy. Beginning with the rejection of 

 only really low-grade bulls, the Ministry at each subsequent half-yearly 

 inspection has gradually raised the qualifying standard of bulls eligible for 

 licences. By this method the small farmer is being educated to the 

 advantage of using good-class bulls, and consequently it is expected 

 that in the near future only those bulls which are up to the standard now 

 required for premiums will be licensed. 



Inspections. — Inspections are carried out twice each year, in February 

 and September, and in order to convenience farmers and simplify pro- 

 cedure, the Six County area of Northern Ireland is mapped out into a 

 number of districts in each of which numerous centres are fixed by the 

 Ministry for the inspection of bulls. In selecting centres the Ministry 

 endeavours to ensure that owners will not have to bring their animals a 

 greater distance than three miles. In addition, inspections of bulls are 

 carried out at the annual spring bull sales held throughout the Six County 

 area. The officers appointed as inspectors are permanent officials of the 

 Ministry, and are entirely employed in connection with the Ministry's live- 

 stock schemes. The method devised of having local centres instead of 

 inspecting animals on owners' premises was adopted in order to reduce 

 the cost of inspection. It also enabled the inspectors to compare the bulls 

 shown and to keep a much more uniform standard than would be possible 

 in a house-to-house inspection. At first it was frequently asserted that 

 the administration of such an Act would be extremely expensive, and 

 would entail the employment of an army of officials, but this has proved 

 to be quite a misapprehension. The Ministry did not increase its staff, 

 but carried out the inspections with three of its regular live stock officers, 

 who devote about one month each year to this particular work. The fees 

 received cover the cost of inspection. 



Assistance to Small Faemers. 



It is common knowledge that the quality of our herds varies greatly 

 from district to district, and it is obvious that the operation of a Live Stock 

 Breeding Act, such as has been outlined, will bear much more heavily on 

 the poorer districts where the cattle are inferior. It is in such districts 

 that the largest percentage of bulls is rejected, and if the real objects of 

 the Act are to be achieved the State must under such circumstances be 

 prepared to give practical assistance. In the poorer districts in Northern 

 Ireland, where a large percentage of bulls was rejected for licence, the 

 Ministry, through the county committees of agriculture, purchased and 

 sold pedigree bulls to approved applicants on reduced terms. These are 

 in addition to those animals which were placed out under the ordinary 

 premium scheme, where premiums of the value of from £15 to £20 per 

 annum are awarded. 



Animals under the reduced price scheme are sold to selected applicants 

 at one-third the original cost. The applicant pays the one-third in three 

 equal instalments, the first when he gets the bull, the second in the following 

 October, and the third in October of the following year. If the owner 

 keeps the animal in good condition and complies with the regulations of 



