§ MR. MURPHY (Dublin, St. Patrick's)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If he is aware that the Guardians of the Rathdown Union, at a meeting held on the 12th instant, passed the following Resolution:—
That no cattle from North or South Dublin Unions be admitted into the Rathdown Union for any purpose whatever, except for slaughter, for the space of 12 months; cattle now in the show yard at Ballsbridge to be exempted from this order;whether he is aware that the dairy cattle for supplying Dublin with milk are, to a large extent, fed on the grass lands in Rathdown Union; and, whether he will take any step3 in reference to the Resolution, which, if put in force, must seriously affect the supply of milk to Dublin, and inflict injury both on dairy keepers and on those who let grazing in Rathdown Union?
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER SECRETARY (Colonel KING HARMAN) (Kent, Isle of Thanet)(who replied) said: A Regulation to the effect stated has been made by the Guardians of the Rathdown Union, in pursuance of their powers as a Local Authority. It was obviously made with a view to protect their Union from the introduction of pleuro-pneumonia by cattle brought from Dublin dairies. It is believed that in previous years the grass lands in the Union have been, to a considerable extent, used by these cattle. Before asking the intervention of Government with respect to any such Regulation, the proper course is for any persons feeling aggrieved thereby to submit their objections to the Local Authority, who have full power to alter or modify their Regulations.
§ MR. J. W. BARCLAY (Forfarshire)asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Whether he can inform the House what steps the Irish Government have taken to prevent cattle suffering from pleuro-pneumonia being taken outside the Dublin infected district for shipment?
§ COLONEL KING-HARMAN(who replied) said: The Irish Government cause all cattle found to be suffering from pleuro-pneumonia to be slaughtered 8 without delay. All cattle in the Dublin infected district are required to be branded, and their shipment has been prohibited by an Order of the Privy Council which came into force on the 22nd instant. As I stated yesterday, in the case of one dairy 41 cows were slaughtered, and at another dairy 21, both being suspected of being infected with pleuro-pneumonia.