§ MR. LAMBERTI beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture how many cases of swine fever occurred in 1898, 1899, and 1900 respectively; what was the total cost in each year in measures for suppressing swine fever; and whether any sums, if so, how much, were deducted each year from the grants in aid of local taxation.
§ MR. WALTER LONG (for Mr. HANBURY)The number of outbreaks of swine fever which occurred in 1898 was 2,514; in 1899 there were 2,322, and in 1900 1,940. The net expenditure incurred in dealing with the disease was, approximately, £112,000 in 1898–9, £71,500 in 1899–1900, and, according to our latest estimate, it will amount to £52,000 for the current year. The amount drawn from the Local Taxation Accounts was £70,000 in 1898–9, and £38,000 in 1899– 1900. We shall probably require £15,000 from the same source from swine fever business during the present year.