§ Mr. FELLasked the President of the Local Government Board if he has evidence that the immense shipments of Chinese pork now being made to this country all come from the Yangtse Kiang River Valley, as reported by the Consul at Shanghai was the case with the early and small shipments; if he has evidence that there is no plague or pestilence prevailing in or near any of the districts from which the pork now comes; and if he has received any recent reports from the Consul on the subject?
§ The PRESIDENT of the LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. Burns)According to the information which I have received, the pigs are obtained from that part of the Yangtse Valley, from which most of the pigs have hitherto been derived. No plague has been reported from this part of China during the present epidemic. The most recent Consular report is, I think, that which was presented in August last.
§ Mr. FELLHaving regard to the fact that this pork comes from China, where the plague is raging, can the right hon. Gentleman get a further report from the Consul showing the district where this pork comes from?
§ Mr. BURNSI am willing to consider the question of the hon. Member, but I am in a position to say that we are hopeful of being able to send one of the Local Government Board doctors, who is at present in China, to the place where the pigs are bred.
§ Mr. BURNSNot to my knowledge. It is only fair to state that there is no plague within 800 miles of the place where the pigs come from.