§ MR. LOUGH (Islington, W.)I desire to ask the right hon. Gentleman the President of the Board of Agriculture a question of which I have given him private notice—namely, whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that traces of pleuro-pneumonia were detected in an animal slaughtered in the Metropolitan Cattle Market yesterday; and whether, seeing that stringent measures 354 have already been taken to prevent the spread of the disease, the right hon. Gentleman will take such steps as will prevent the closing of the market, which would be a course which would throw a great number of people out of employment? And, seeing that the disease has emanated from one of the Metropolitan cowsheds, will the right hon. Gentleman issue an Order to prevent the removal of animals from these sheds without the consent of the Board of Agriculture?
§ * SIR A. ROLLIT (Islington, S.)I have given the right hon. Gentleman notice of a similar question, and shall be glad if he will answer it at the same time.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE (Mr. H. GARDNER,) Essex, Saffron WaldenThis question has only inst been put into my hands. There was a case of this disease in the Metropolitan Cattle Market yesterday. The usual precautions have been 1aken, and I trust that they will be successful. There is no intention of closing the market. As to the second part of the question, I shall be glad to consider the matter if the hon. Gentleman will tell me where the animal was removed from.
§ SIR R. PAGET (Somerset, Wells)asked where the animal was imported from?
§ MR. H. GARDNERsaid, he could not answer that question. No doubt the animal would be traced in the usual way.