§ SIR JOHN KINLOCH (Perthshire, E.)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether it is the case that the English Board of Agriculture have advised the Irish Agricultural Department to prohibit the landing of live cattle at Belfast to be slaughtered, under the provisions of the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act, as it might lead to the introduction of disease; and, if so, why are live cattle allowed to be landed in Great Britain?
§ * THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE (Mr. WALTER LONG,) Liverpool, West DerbyIn reply to inquiries addressed to the Board of Agriculture by the Irish Government as to the proposed establishment of a foreign animals wharf at Belfast, it was pointed out that our experience in the past in 604 Great Britain had shown that such wharves must necessarily be attended with a certain risk of the introduction of disease, whilst the small extent of the trade expected, and the fact that fat cattle are exported from Ireland in very large numbers, went to show that no real necessity for a wharf existed. The requirements of Great Britain and Ireland in regard to foreign animals are in no way similar, and any arrangement which might result in the interruption of the Irish export trade is obviously open to the very gravest objection.
§ MR. G. W. WOLFF (Belfast, E.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, (1) whether the refusal by the Irish Executive to grant the joint application of the Ulster Steamship Company, Limited (trading with Canada), and the Belfast Harbour Commissioners, for permission to erect a foreign animals wharf at Belfast, under the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act, for the slaughtering of animals on arrival, was due to the action of the Board of Agriculture in London, to whom the matter had been referred from Dublin; (2) whether such wharves are, with the sanction and approval of the Board of Agriculture, established at Liverpool, Glasgow, Bristol, Deptford, and several other of the large shipping ports of the United Kingdom; (3) whether any cases of transmission of disease to British cattle from such wharves have been reported; and, if so, from where, and when; (4) whether he is aware that all cattle shipped from Canada are subjected to a rigorous examination before shipment, and also that the Canadian authorities absolutely deny the existence of pleuro-pneumonia in the Dominion of Canada; and, (5) whether, in view of the disadvantages to which Belfast is subjected in comparison with other large seaports, both of England and Scotland, by the refusal to allow cattle to be imported, he will advise the Executive in Dublin to reconsider their decision?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURThe Irish Government consulted the Board of Agriculture in this matter, but of course they acted on their own responsibility. The inquiries in the second, third, and fourth paragraphs of my hon. Friend's Question should be addressed to the President of the Board of Agriculture. As regards the last paragraph, I can only 605 say that the whole matter has received the most careful and anxious consideration of the Irish Government, who are unable, in the interests of the cattle trade in Belfast and Ireland generally, to alter the decision already arrived at.
§ MR. WOLFFI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies, whether representations have been made to him by the High Commissioner for Canada protesting against the entire prohibition of the importation of Canadian cattle into Ireland, which would be the effect of the refusal to allow the establishment of a Foreign animals' wharf at Belfast; and, if so, whether he will use his influence to induce the Irish Executive to reconsider their decision?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Mr. J. CHAMBERLAIN) Birmingham, W.A representation was made to me by the High Commissioner on the subject, which was duly transmitted to the Irish Office, and received the careful consideration of her Majesty's Government, who regret, however, that they are unable to reconsider their decision in the matter.