MR. GLADSTONEI rise to put a Question with reference to a Motion which has appeared upon the list for a good many nights, and has been transferred gradually from one night to the next. I think that it is a Motion which calls for a good deal of discussion, and I know that that will be the opinion of hon. Gentlemen on this side of the House. It is a Motion of the noble Lord the Vice President of the Committee of the Council on Education with regard to the appointment of a Committee on the cattle plague and the importation of live cattle. My Question is, Whether Her Majesty's Government will have the goodness to appoint a regular time for the discussion of that Motion? With regard to the appointment of a Committee to inquire into the causes of the recent outbreak of the cattle plague, and the measures taken for its repression, and into the effect which the importation of live foreign animals has upon the introduction of disease into this country, these are matters of fact which 1448 I think form a very fair subject for inquiry by the Committee. The other question is the question whether we should re-establish the prohibition of foreign cattle, the removal of which is one of the measures of Free Trade. ["Order, order"] I am doing this for the purpose of explaining to Her Majesty's Government the nature of this question. I cannot very well ask Her Majesty's Government to appoint a special time for the purpose of discussing a Motion of this kind without stating a reason. The reason is, that this is a proposal that the Committee should consider whether we shall re-establish the prohibition of foreign cattle, which was one of the first measures removed by Free Trade in 1842. That is a question which we look upon as one of immense importance; and I therefore beg to ask my right hon. Friend, If he thinks that that would be a necessary portion of this reference to a Committee, if he will have the goodness to appoint a special time for its discussion?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERI think that my right hon. Friend has drawn a conclusion which I am not at all prepared to admit; but I cannot now enter into a discussion upon such a point as that. I only wish to put in a caveat against its being supposed that the Government have made any such proposal as he assumes. Now, we are very anxious indeed, on many grounds, to proceed with the Motion for the appointment of this Select Committee; but, as the House is perfectly well aware, it is a matter of absolute necessity for us first of all to get on with certain other Business. There are the Mutiny Bills, and there are the financial measures of the year which require mere consideration on the part of the House. Therefore, it is really impossible for us at the present moment to name a time when we shall be able to take this Motion. We are only too anxious to take it as soon as we can. I would point out that to-morrow there stands upon the Paper a Notice of a Motion by my hon. Friend the Member for North Wiltshire (Sir George Jenkinson). He is going to call the attention of the House to this subject, and as that is the second Motion on going into Supply, I apprehend that that will be the time at which it will be convenient to have a discussion on this Question.
1449 In reply to a further Question from Mr. GLADSTONE,
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERsaid, that the Motion would certainly not be brought forward that night.