§ COLONEL KINGSCOTEasked the Vice President of the Council, Whether it is true that rinderpest has again broken out in a dairy in the metropolitan district; if he will state the circumstances; and, whether any attempt was made to conceal the disease by the owner of the dairy; and, also, whether the dairy was previously under inspection?
§ VISCOUNT SANDONSir, I am very sorry to say that a fresh outbreak of the cattle plague has been detected at Bethnal Green in a shed containing 10 cows, seven of which were affected by it. They were all slaughtered at 5 P.M. yesterday, after being condemned by the Inspector of the Privy Council, Mr. Cope. The owner did not make any report of the sickness amongst the cows, as required by the Order in Council. The origin of this outbreak, I am sorry to say, has not been traced as yet. Fortunately, the Order under which no animal is to be allowed to leave the metropolis alive is still in force, and also the Orders under which the Privy Council deal with cattle plague in the metropolis. This afternoon we have passed an Order in Council restricting the movement of cattle in the metropolis north of the Thames except for immediate slaughter; and I can assure my hon. and gallant Friend that we will take every step to check the outbreak as far as we can.