§ MR. EDWARD H. BAYLEY (Camberwell, N.)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture whether, in view of the alarming increase of glanders and farcy in London, upwards of 2,000 cases having occurred in 1892, being 90 per cent. of the cases in the country generally, and the fact that glanders and farcy are contagious as regards human beings as well as horses, he will take measures to stamp out the disease by means of a system of inspection of stables and compulsory slaughter of infected horses, with or without compensation of owners?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE (Mr. GARDNER,) Essex, Saffron WaldenAs the hon. Member is aware, I issued an Order dealing generally with the subject of glanders and farcy in September last. Under that Order vigorous measures are being taken by the Loudon County Council, assisted by the police, to ensure notification, slaughter, destruction of carcases, and the prevention of the spread of the disease, and I am happy to say that the number of outbreaks recorded since the commencement of the present year is less than in the corresponding period of 1892. There is no cause whatever for alarm on the subject, but I am carefully watching the operation of the new Order with a view to determine whether any further action on my part is necessary.