MR. ALDERMAN W. LAWRENCE (for Sir SYDNEY WATERLOW)asked the Vice President of the Council, Whether, having regard to the high price of meat consequent upon the restrictions placed upon the movement of cattle after exposure for sale in the Metropolitan Market, and seeing that only one case of foot and mouth disease has appeared in the Metropolitan Market since the 23rd January (that case about 19th February), and that at this season of the year and during summer months the Home Counties draw the greater part of their beef supplies from the London Cattle Market, can he hold out any hope of an early modification of those restrictions, in order that the London Market may be placed on the same footing as the markets in other large towns, viz.: Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Wakefield, Birmingham,&c.?
§ MR. MUNDELLAWe cannot admit that the high price of meat is caused by the restrictions placed on the Metropolitan Market. The price of beef in that market was exactly the same during the three months which preceded the imposition of the present restrictions and the three months during which they have been in force. The price of mutton here, as elsewhere throughout the country, has been higher during the last three months. The Privy Council, however, are fully alive to the inconvenience caused by the restrictions, and are considering whether 1252 they may not now safely return to the state of things which existed up till the end of last year, under which animals sold in the Metropolitan Market may be taken into the country for slaughter.