ts four others; each of the County Boroughs of
Dublin and Belfast appoints three members; the remaining four County
Boroughs appoint one member each; a joint Committee of the Councils of
the large urban districts surrounding Dublin appoint one member; one
member is appointed by the Commissioners of National Education, and one
member by the Intermediate Board of Education.

The two Boards have to advise upon all matters submitted to them by the
Department in connection, in the one case, with agriculture and other
rural industries and inland fisheries, and, in the other case, in
connection with Technical Instruction. The advisory powers of the Boards
are very real, for the expenditure of all moneys out of the Endowment
funds is subject to their concurrence. Hence, while they have not
specific administrative powers and apparently have only the right of
veto, it is obvious that, if they wished, they might largely force their
own views upon the Department by refusing to sanction the expenditure of
money upon any of the Department's proposals, until these were so
modified as practically to be their own proposals. It is, therefore,
clear that the machinery can only work harmoniously and efficiently so
long as it is moved by a right spirit. Above all it is necessary that
the central administrative body should gain such a measure of popular
confidence as to enable it, without loss of influence, to resist
proposals for expenditure upon schemes which might ensure great
popularity at the moment, but would do permanent harm to the industrial
character we are all trying to build up. I need not fear contradiction
at the hands of a single member of either Board when I say that up to
the present perfect harmony has reigned throughout. The utmost
consideration has been shown by the Boards for the difficulties which
the Department have to overcome; and I think I may add that due regard
has been paid by the administrative authority to the representative
character and the legitimate wishes of the bodies which advise and
largely control it.

The other statutory body attached to the Department has a significance
and potential importance in strange contrast to the humble place it
occupies in the statute book. The Agriculture and Technical Instruction
(Ireland) Act, 1899, has, like many other Acts, a part entitled
'Miscellaneous,' in which the draughtsman's skill has attended to
multifarious practical details, and made provision for all manner