asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state the numbers of day-old chicks supplied by licensed hatcheries to poultry-keepers in December, 1948, and December, 1949, and, excluding returns for the poultry pest area, the numbers for January, 1949, and January, 1950.

The particulars requested are as follows: December, 1948, 101,300; December, 1949, 94,600; January, 1949, 363,000; January, 1950, 284,700.