§ MR. LIDDELL (Down, W.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the industry of rearing young pigs and selling them to dealers from Scotland, which brought in to the Ulster farmers at least £50,000 per annum, has been destroyed by restrictions placed by the Board of Agriculture in London on the importation into Great Britain of pigs from Ireland; and whether, in view of the fact that Ulster is entirely free from swine fever, and that Ayrshire pig feeders are being freely supplied with pigs from England, where the disease has occurred in 117 places in the last six months, he will endeavour to procure the removal of restrictions so damaging to Irish agricultural interests.
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. WALTER LONG, Bristol, S.)The value to Ireland of this trade in 1901 was estimated at £33,000. There is good reason, however, to believe that a considerable part of the trade has found its way into other channels in Ireland, as the price of young swine is well maintained in Ulster and the demand is brisk. It is not the case that Ireland is yet free from swine fever, recent cases having occurred in Belfast and counties Cavan and Down. I cannot undertake to recommend the removal of existing restrictions until that course can safely be adopted.