§ MR. J. B. SMITH (for Mr. JACOB BRIGHT)asked the Vice President of the Council, Whether in consequence of the agricultural Returns, which show a great decrease in sheep and cattle, and the high price of meat resulting therefrom, he will reconsider the Order in Council, of December 20th, 1871, with the view of allowing imported sheep to pass to the inland towns when free from disease; and, whether Prussia might not, in regard to horned cattle, be put in the same position as Spain, Holland, Norway, and Sweden?
§ MR. W. E. FORSTERsaid, that the instructions issued under the Order in question provided for the slaughter at the port of landing of all sheep in case any of the cargo had the foot and mouth disease; and the Government did not feel that they could depart from that Order. A very important deputation, however, which had waited upon him from the Northern towns, had complained of the effect of that Order, stating that it caused a large number of sheep to be slaughtered. He might, in answer to that, observe that the total number of sheep imported had not been diminished by the regulation, for the total import of sheep into great Britain for the first quarter of the year from the Continent was about 123,000, as against 64,000 for the first quarter of last year. It was certainly true that there had been a smaller import into the Northern towns 651 in proportion, than there had been into London; but the reason of that was, that there had been much more disease amongst the sheep which came into the North, for only 6 per cent of the ships which came into London had diseased animals on board, whereas in the case of Hull and several other of the Northern towns, the per-centage was not far from 50. That was owing, he believed, to greater care being taken in London with regard to having ships free from infection, and also with regard to the selection of the animals. It was also stated by the deputation, that the inspection was more severe and stringent in the North than in London, but that, he believed, was not the case, for he had ascertained that the regulations were precisely the same in London and the North. It had further been stated that several sheep had been slaughtered which had not the foot and mouth disease, but were merely footsore. From inquiries that had been made, however, he was satisfied that that statement was without foundation. The Government had been strongly urged to allow sheep to go under proper regulations from the port of landing to inland towns. He thought the regulations for that purpose would be exceedingly difficult; but the Government were prepared to try the experiment whether that import could or could not be permitted. In doing so, however, it would not be surprising if the restrictions placed upon it were onerous; to be safe, they could not be otherwise. But the local authorities of large inland towns would be informed that if they liked to make application for a license for sheep to be taken under those conditions to inland towns, it would be granted. With regard to the second Question put to him, it was impossible for the Government safely to do what was suggested, having the present facts regarding the cattle plague before them.