41. Major HOPEasked the President of the Board of Agriculture if he has received a statement of the views of Scottish local authorities on the question of importation of Irish store cattle; and if, as so many authorities, including those of Edinburgh, Glasgow, and the three Lothians, have expressed themselves in favour, he will expedite the arrangements for permitting importation at Glasgow under quarantine restrictions, and so save counties which wish to import Irish cattle the cost of rail transit from Liverpool and Birkenhead?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of AGRICULTURE (Mr. Runciman)I have received a report of the proceedings at the conference of Scottish local authorities which was held on the 1st instant together with a statement of the views expressed by those authorities on the subject. As regards the reception of store stock for detention at Glasgow, the difficulty is that at the moment the whole of the available accommodation at the wharf is required for the fat stock which is coming forward for slaughter, but I hope that before long the pressure will diminsh and that space can then be found for the inspection and detention of stores.
Mr. CATHCART WASONWould it not be possible to allow the fat stock which arrive at the places referred to, to be sent quickly on to the slaughterhouses where it is intended they shall be slaughtered, as it would save a terrible congestion of fat stock?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANUnder the Order by which these fat cattle are imported into Glasgow, they must be slaughtered at the landing place, and I cannot see my way, under the present circumstances, to alter that.
§ Captain MURRAYWill the right hon. Gentleman consider the advisability of allowing Irish cattle to be landed at Dundee and Ayr, as well as Glasgow?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI am in communication with the port authorities at both those places, and I hope to have these arrangements completed before long.
§ Mr. JOHN O'CONNORWhat objection has the right hon. Gentleman now to cattle shipped from Dublin to Holyhead being brought by rail swiftly to Deptford for slaughter?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANThe objection I have is that the position is not yet clear in Ireland. I regret to say that I must remind the hon. and learned Gentleman that only yesterday there was a further outbreak somewhere near Mullingar.
§ Mr. J. O'CONNORIs there any danger in bringing cattle by rail from Holyhead to Deptford to be slaughtered, and can the right hon. Gentleman give me a little information on the point why the "Carrick Fergus," with 150 head of cattle, was allowed to sail for Manchester last Thursday, and the steamer "Kerry," with 450 head of cattle was not allowed to leave on that day?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member must give notice of details of that kind.
§ 42. Mr. MacVEAGHasked whether the right hon. Gentleman has made any representations to the Midland Railway Company as to the suggested accommodation at Heysham for cattle shipped from Ireland; and, if so, with what result?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The matter is now under the consideration of the company.
§ 43. Mr. MacVEAGHasked whether the right hon. Gentleman is yet in a position to state whether accommodation has been provided at Holyhead for Irish cattle shipped at Greenore; and, if so, whether both fat cattle and store cattle will be admitted; whether the accommodation has been inspected by the Board; and on what day cattle may be shipped in Ireland?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANAccommodation for about 400 cattle and 500 pigs has been provided by the London and Northwestern Railway at Holyhead. It has been inspected on behalf of the Board, and an Order will be issued to-day adding that port to the list of those at which both fat stock for slaughter and store stock for detention can be received. Shipment from Greenore will be allowed 1257 of the Irish Department can make the necessary arrangements on their side. The Order will take effect forthwith.
§ Mr. RUNCIMANUnder the accommodation which has been provided up to the present by the railway company not more than 400 head of cattle can be provided for.
§ Mr. MacVEAGHDoes not that point to the necessity for reducing the period of quarantine at Holyhead?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANNo, the period of quarantine is controlled, not by the accommodation at Holyhead, but by the risk of infection coming in.
§ 53. Mr. FIELDasked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland), who is responsible for the delay to the shipment of fat cattle consigned to Manchester for immediate slaughter on last Thursday; whether he is aware that arrangements had previously been made, with his concurrence and that of the President of the Board of Agriculture, which allowed the shipment, for immediate slaughter, of cattle consigned to Manchester; and whether he can explain what occurred to prevent this arrangement being carried into effect at once?
§ Mr. T. W. RUSSELL (Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture, Ireland)The Order of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries authorising the landing of Irish animals for slaughter in the Manchester foreign animals wharf was not made until Friday, 1st November, and did not come into operation until 2nd November.
§ 54. Mr. HAVILAND-BURKEasked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) why his Department has imposed restrictions upon the King's County, in which foot-and-mouth disease has not been known for thirty years, in respect of an outbreak of this disease in the Mullingar district in Westmeath; and, seeing that these restrictions involve loss upon farmers and make it difficult or quite impossible for them to sell their cattle, sheep, or pigs at such prices as to enable them to meet their current rents and land annuities, will he consider the advisability of their immediate removal?
§ Mr. RUSSELLIt is the usual practice both of this Department and of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries in England to impose restrictions in the first instance on a district having a radius of, roughly speaking, fifteen miles from a centre at which an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease has occurred. Portion of King's County is only about ten miles from Mullingar, and the scheduled district therefore comprises part of that county. The Department are not prepared at present to consider the modification of the restrictions, seeing that thirty-five outbreaks of the disease occurred since the 18th ultimo at or near Mullingar, the latest outbreak so recently as the 28th ultimo. The question of reducing the area under restriction will, however, be taken into consideration as soon as the circumstances permit.