§ MAJOR RASCH (Essex, Chelmsford)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture whether his attention has been called to the suggestion that the outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in East Anglia are caused by the importation of Welsh runts; and if he will take into consideration the possibility of some supervision in connection with this trade.
§ *MR. HANBURYThe foot-and-mouth outbreak in Essex, in December of last year, was possibly traceable to a fair held in Harlow, on 28th November. At this fair some animals from Denbighshire were exposed for sale. They, as well as all other animals at the fair of which any information could in any way be obtained, were traced back to the place from which they had come. The runts from Denbighshire were not in any case found to be affected with foot-and-mouth; and the places from which they had come in Wales, as well as all animals at those places, were inspected by veterinary surgeons without any foot-and-mouth being discovered. The same course was adopted in the case of all animals from other places so far as any information could be obtained.