§ MR. A. JOHNSTONsaid, he wished to ask the Vice President of the Council on Education, Whether out of a cargo of 93 beasts landed at Thames Haven on Saturday last 45 were stopped for foot and mouth disease, and whether any of the remainder were passed into the Metropolitan Market, they also being at the time affected by the disease?
§ MR. W. E. FORSTERreplied that the figures mentioned by the hon. Gentleman were not quite correct. From inquiries he had made he found that two vessels with cattle arrived on the day referred to. One of those vessels had on board ninety-four head of cattle, twenty-one of which were detained and slaughtered on account of their having the foot and mouth disease. The other vessel had on board 323 head of cattle, fifteen of which were detained and slaughtered for the same reason. He had no reason to suppose that the authorities had in this case departed from the usual course in dealing with cattle having these particular diseases, for the reason that there was no Act in existence as yet which would enable them to do so. A Bill was, however, before Par- 950 liament that would give further power in such cases.