asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state the number of persons employed on the domestic staff at Johnstown Castle Agricultural College, the basic wage rates and the amount of bonus paid to such staff, and the total (a) wages, and (b) bonus paid each week.

The domestic staff is three, namely; one cook and two housemaids. The basic wage rates are as follows:—

Cook £30 × £3 to £36 per year.

Housemaids £22 × £2 to £26 per year.

An emergency bonus of 7/6 per week is also payable. This makes the present weekly wages of the cook 19/-and of each of the housemaids 15/11. They have also free board and residence.

It would be interesting to know at how many words per minute the Minister read that reply.

Did I understand the Minister to say £36 a year?

£36 a year for a cook and £26 for a housemaid.