§ MR. STUART SAMUEL (Tower Hamlets, Whitechapel)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he can state on what date the last authenticated case of foot and mouth disease of cattle occurred in the Argentine Republic, and whether he will now consider the removal of the prohibition against the slaughter of Argentine cattle at Deptford.
§ MR. HANBURYNo, Sir, I cannot yet undertake to remove the prohibition. It is still too soon to assume that the disease has entirely disappeared. So recently as October, 3rd, His Majesty's Consul at Buenos Ayres reported the existence of disease in the southern part of the province of Buenos Ayres on the authority of two stockowners of repute in that district. The latest positive reports of disease were made in February, 1901, cases having occurred at that time in Santa Fé and Cordova.