HC Deb 16 February 1866 vol 181 cc598-9
An hon. MEMBER

asked, Whether, considering the extreme urgency of the case, the Cattle Diseases Bill would be proceeded with to-morrow?

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

It is not likely, I think, Sir, in any event, that the House will be at liberty to consider the Cattle Plague Bill to-morrow. I may take this opportunity of making the Motion, That the House at its rising do adjourn till twelve o'clock tomorrow. The cause of this is that an important matter of public business with respect to Ireland may have to be brought forward by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department, who will in a few minutes proceed to give notice of his Motion.

MR. BRIGHT

I wish to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with regard to the Bill which is coming on for discussion very soon, whether it is intended to continue the experiments which have been made with a view to discover some cure for the cattle plague. I met a gentleman to-day who has been on the Commission or Committee, and he told me he supposed that after the decision of the House last night all experiments of every kind in the way of medical or scientific research would now be necessarily put a stop to. Well, I have expressed my opinion as to the folly of that proceeding, and I wish to ask the right hon. Gentleman whether it is intended to continue those experiments, or not.

SIR GEORGE GREY

These experiments were not made by the Government, but by the Commission, and I do not think that any important result has followed from them. They only show how completely all attempts to cure the disease have hitherto failed. The clauses in the Bill relating to the slaughter of cattle must, of course, be carried into effect, and all I can say is that it will be the duty of every one to obey the law.

MR. BRIGHT

The same gentleman told me that at York forty-five animals had been cured. ["Order, order!"]

LORD JOHN MANNERS

said, he had a suggestion to make with reference to the Returns which professed to show the progress of the cattle plague. The Returns for the last fortnight were valueless, in consequence of many of the inspectors not having sent in their Returns. That, of course, tended to perplex the public mind, as the Returns gave no information of any kind, and tended rather to confuse the minds of those who consulted them. He begged leave to suggest that it would be better to issue the Returns once a fortnight. At all events, some method should be devised so that the Returns would correctly represent the progress of the disease in the various counties in England and Scotland.