§ MR. HENEAGEI beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board what steps are being taken to keep the local seaport authorities informed from what foreign country or foreign ports cholera might be introduced into this country; and what assistance the Local Government Board propose to give to local seaport authorities to enable them to take the necessary steps to provide for an efficient system of medical inspection of vessels and to provide ships as cholera hospitals, with all the necessary requirements, in order to carry out the special orders of the Local Government Board for precautions against the introduction of cholera from abroad into this country?
§ MR. SHAW-LEFEVREIn the case of every vessel coming from foreign ports the officers of Customs inquire as to cholera and other cases of infectious disease on board, and if a suspected case of cholera appears to have occurred they would at once communicate with the Medical Officer of Health of the Port. Notices appear in the daily press as to the countries and ports in which cholera is present, and if the Local Government Board had any information as to a serious outbreak of which there had been no public notice the Board would communicate with the Local Authorities. As regards the question as to assistance by the State, I can only refer to the replies which were given to similar questions last Session.