53. EARL of KERRYasked the President of the Board of Agriculture if he is aware that under the Tuberculosis Order of 1913 two cases have recently occurred in Derby in which cows brought in for sale to the borough market have there been seized on the certificate of the borough veterinary inspector as suffering from tuberculosis of the udder; that in both cases they were ultimately certified by the county medical officer of health to be free from tuberculosis; that their owners have consequently been put to needless expense for the compulsory keep of the cows and for loss of milk during the period of their detention, while the county authorities have already had to find the cost of veterinary inspectors, biological tests, and county police in connection with the cases; and if he will state whether it is proposed that compensation for the loss sustained should be paid?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of AGRICULTURE (Mr. Runciman)I am informed that in May last two cows with defective udders were brought to Derby market for sale, and that in accordance with notices served by the veterinary inspector of the local authority under. Article 11 of the Tuberculosis Order, they were sent back to the premises from which they came. Subsequent veterinary examination showed that the defect of the udder was in neither case due to tuberculosis. If the owner had complied with the requirements of Article 2 or Article 10 of the Order, by reporting these two cases of apparent disease of the udder and isolating the affected animals until they had been examined by a veterinary inspector, most of the loss and inconvenience which have been caused would have been avoided. The Board have no power to make compensation in these cases.