§ Mr. HINDSasked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether his attention has been called to the refusal of his Department to contribute in any way to the expenses of the contemplated dairy exhibition proposed to be held in this country; and whether, having regard to the importance of our milk supply, the increasing cost of this article of food, and, in particular, the tuberculous condition of so large a proportion of the cattle of this 1467 country, with its direct bearing upon infantile mortality, he will cause this decision to be reconsidered?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of AGRICULTURE (Mr. Runciman)I understand the question to refer to the International Dairy Congress proposed to be held in Great Britain in 1913. There are many reasons of policy which make it undesirable that the Government should contribute to the finances of open congresses of an unofficial and voluntary character. The refusal of financial assistance does not imply any failure to appreciate the importance of the congress itself, or of the matters referred to in the second half of the question.