MR. ALDERMAN W. LAWRENCEasked the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education, Whether he can give an explanation to the Statement which appeared in a Letter to the "Times" of the 31st of January, viz.—
That a cargo of beasts from Holland landed at Thames Haven last week was passed by the Inspectors there as sound. These animals were taken thence to the Maiden Lane Station, Holloway, and thence to the market lairs, where on close inspection several of the beasts were found to be affected with pleuro-pneumonia?
§ MR. W. E. FORSTER, in reply, said, that immediately on his attention being called to the statement referred to in The Times he caused inquiries to be made into the rumour, and so far as the Department could ascertain the statement was entirely without foundation. The Inspector of the markets stated that he had not detected any case of pleuro-pneumonia in the lairs, and what confirmed his statement was this — by the Act passed a year or two ago the owners of animals so affected were bound to give notice under a penalty of £20, and he thought that if any of the animals had been affected the owners would have given the required notice rather than incur the penalty.