§ SIR ROBERT ANSTRUTHERsaid, he would beg to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council, What steps have been or are about to be taken by the Government, in pursuance of the powers given to them by section 75 of the Act, c. 70, 32 & 33 Vic, for regulating the transmission of Live Stock by Land or Sea, with a view to mitigating the injuries at present inflicted upon animals by the want of proper accommodation, as well as from the want of any due arrangements for feeding and watering them during transit?
§ MR. W. E. FORSTER, in reply, said, that his noble Friend (Earl De Grey) being anxious to carry out the Act of last Session, and the wishes of the House in that important matter, and also to obtain all the facts before taking any steps, appointed a Departmental Committee immediately on the passing of the Act, to go into the whole question, to take evidence, and make suggestions with regard to it. He (Mr. Forster) was sorry to say the Report of the Committee had not come before them as soon as they had hoped it would; but that arose solely in consequence of the laborious nature of the investigation the Committee had to make, for the Committee had attended to the matter with great assiduity. The Report had only just been received; but the evidence was not yet printed. As soon as the Government had received the evidence the subject would be taken into their most serious consideration.