MR. FIELDI beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture whether complaints have reached him that foreign cattle landed at the Woodside and Wallasey lairages in Liverpool port have been subjected to injurious treatment through the want of a sufficient reception lairage, as required by the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Acts and by the Orders in Council in connection therewith; will he explain why memorials upon this subject from the trade to the Board of Agriculture have received no attention: whether the landing of cattle at night in the absence of electric light will be continued; and whether he will cause an inquiry into the matter complained of?
§ MR. H. GARDNERRepresentations have recently reached me from one of the leading importers of cattle at Liverpool as to the insufficiency of the accommodation provided at the Foreign Animals Wharves at that port. Those representations have received attention, and I have caused inquiry to be made and have been in communication with the Mersey Docks and Harbor Board and with my correspondent on the subject. The pressure experienced appears to be due to the exceptionally heavy imports of live stock which have been recently received at Liverpool, and to the reluctance of owners to slaughter until the last possible moment in the hope of some improvement in prices being manifested. I do not anticipate any unwillingness on the part of the Mersey Board to provide additional accommodation if the expan- 373 sion of the trade should continue, and as evidence of this I may say that during 1893 additional provision for 1,200 cattle was made. I do not appear to have received any complaint as to the insufficient lighting of the wharves at night.
MR. FIELDWill the right hon. Gentleman send some competent person to make inquiries in the district?
§ MR. H. GARDNERI have made inquiries.