COLONEL WALKER (Lancashire Widnes)I beg to ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture whether his attention has been drawn to the report of an inquest held in Southwark on a horse dealer, who died from glanders; and whether he will, in view of the number of cases reported of horses attacked by that disease in London and the danger that exists of infection to human beings, ask the Board of Agriculture, with a view to the rapid extinction of glanders and farcy, to issue an order for the compulsory application of the Mallein test by all qualified veterinary surgeons, as well as by the three inspectors at present appointed under the Act.
§ * MR. J. A. PEASE (for Sir E STRACHEY)My noble friend has seen the report to which the hon. and gallan Member refers. The Glanders or Farcy 542 Order of 1907 authorises the veterinary inspectors of local authorities to apply he Mallein test with the consent of the owner to horses which are suspected of glanders or which have been in contact with others affected with that disease, and which have in consequence been placed under detention, but the Board do not think it would be desirable to extend this power to all qualified veterinary surgeons as suggested.
§ * MR. J. A. PEASEI will represent the hon. Member's view to my noble friend.