§ MR. MONTAGU (Tower Hamlets, Whitechapel)asked the noble Lord the Member for Lewisham, Whether the latest accounts from Holland show that no contagious disease exists among Dutch cattle and sheep, and that the transit of German sheep has been stopped for some months; and, whether, 1714 under these circumstances, the restrictions on the importation into this country of Dutch stock will be removed, so as to place it on an equality with that from Scandinavia?
§ VISCOUNT LEWISHAM (Lewisham)The Government are not aware of the existence of any contagious disease among animals in Holland at the present time; but in the first week of May last, German sheep, among which foot-and-mouth disease existed, were brought by railway through Holland and shipped to this country from Flushing. On May 14 last the Government were informed that the transit of sheep from Germany through Holland had been prohibited. The question of relieving Dutch stock from restrictions is one of very serious importance; and an application from the Dutch Government on the subject is under consideration.