COLONEL NOLANI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if any complaints have been addressed to the Privy Council as to the remuneration for pigs killed under the Swine Fever Act; who values the pigs 1344 killed; if it has been pointed out that the scale of value in Galway and Mayo is 10 per cent, too low considering the present price of pigs; if, unless the constabulary tell a man not to meddle with a sick pig, the owner of the pig gets no compensation if the Dublin authorities, in examining the viscera, declare that the pig has subsequently died of some disease other than swine fever; is he aware that the owners of such pigs have complained that they might have realised half their value by killing the pigs if not forbidden to do so by the police; and whether he will endeavour to popularise the working of a useful now Act by seeing that it is at first somewhat liberally interpreted and administered?
MR. J. MORLEYA communication as to compensation for pigs killed under the Swine Fever Act was received from the Claremorris Board of Guardians. The Veterinary Department has, however, ascertained through its Inspectors that objections have been raised to the amount of the proposed compensation in comparatively few cases. The animals slaughtered are valued either by the Inspectors of the Local Authorities or by independent local valuers of practical experience employed by the Veterinary Department. It has not been pointed out to the Department that the scale of value in Galway and Mayo is 10 per cent, too low, as stated. There is no statutory power to give compensation for a pig that dies even though the postmortem examination by the Dublin authorities shows that it was affected with swine fever. Compensation can only be paid for pigs slaughtered, half value for animals affected with swine fever, and full value in all other cases. The Veterinary Department is not aware that complaints have been made, as alleged in the fifth paragraph. The object of the Government is to work the Act liberally within its powers, and as evidence that it has been regarded popularly it may be stated that the number of outbreaks of swine fever reported since November I last, when the Act came into force, is greatly in excess of the number reported during the two preceding mouths of the year, as appears from the following figures:— The outbreaks from January 1 to No- 1345 vember 1, 1893, were 194; the outbreaks since. November 1, 1893, were 360.