§ MR. SCHWANN) (Manchester, N.I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture whether, in view of the fact that the Argentine Government, on his request for securities against the importation of cattle for slaughter into this country from the River Plate, passed 624 a Bill, which came into effect on the 15th of February last, which gave protection against the export of diseased animals of a contagious character from Argentina, and also against the introduction of diseased animals from other countries, he will say what further guarantees he now seeks from the Government at Buenos Ayres, and what stands at present in the way of the admission at Liverpool and Deptford of live cattle for slaughter at those ports, and the corresponding admission into Argentina of our high-class breeding stock.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE (Mr. HANBURY,) PrestonThere is no connection between the admission of fat cattle from Argentina into this country and the admission into Argentina of our pedigree stock. Our pedigree stock are not admitted into Argentina solely because foot and mouth disease has existed in this country within the last six months. What I have asked of the Argentine Government is to take the same precautions with regard to the importation of store animals into that country as we ourselves take even in the case of fat stock. I am glad to be able to add that the Argentine Government have within the last day or two submitted to Congress a Bill which will bring their law into closer conformity with our own.