HC Deb 20 March 1866 vol 182 cc580-1
MR. READ

said, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, If the transit of cattle by Railway will be prohibited after the 24th of March?

SIR GEORGE GREY

Sir, Her Majesty's Government do not think that it would be expedient to continue for any considerable time the prohibition of the movement of cattle by railway. They think there ought to be substituted for prohibition permission to move cattle by railway, subject to restrictions and precautions, with the view to prevent the spreading of the disease. These restrictions will form part of the general Order now in preparation, but it may not be possible to issue that Order in sufficient time to bring it into operation by the 25th instant, and it is desirable that there should be some interval between the Order being issued and its coming into operation, so that its provisions may be generally known. We think that it will be right to continue the existing prohibition until that Order takes effect.