§ MR. R. J. PRICE (Norfolk, E.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies, if he is aware that on the 27th ultimo the Canadian House of Commons passed a resolution with reference to the Diseases of Animals Bill, now before this House, in which, after referring to previous regulations as to the importation of Canadian cattle into the United Kingdom, they respectfully protest 747 against the permanent exclusion of Canadian cattle on the ground of the existence of pleuro-pneumonia in Canada, and express in the strongest possible manner their belief that pleuro-pneumonia has not existed in the past and does not at the present time exist in Canada; and, if, in view of this strong expression of Canadian opinion, Her Majesty's Government could see their way to postpone legislation on the subject until further experiment has decided the point at issue?
MR. GRANT LAWSON (York, N. R., Thirsk)asked whether it was not a fact that the Board of Agriculture had received a very large number of resolutions urging the vital importance of this Bill to the agricultural community in Great Britain and Ireland, and praying that no exception should be admitted?
§ *THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD or AGRICULTURE (Mr. WALTER LONG,) Liverpool, West DerbyI have received the resolution to which the hon. Member refers, but, while deeply regretting that upon any question we should find ourselves unable to accede to the wishes of the Dominion Government, we feel that it is not possible for us, consistently with the interests of agriculturists at home, to adopt the suggestion which the hon. Member is good enough to make. We have received a large number of resolutions and representations in the sense indicated by my hon. Friend. ["Hear, hear!"]