§ 53. Mr. FFRENCHasked the President of the Board of Agriculture if he has seen a resolution passed by the Wexford Committee of Agriculture and Technical Instruction, expresing an opinion that the twelve hours' detention period in the case of Irish cattle exported to England is ruinous to the Irish cattle trade; and what action does he propose to take in the matter?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. I am convinced that there is no ground for the alarm expressed in the resolution to which the hon. Member refers, and I do not propose to take any action in regard to it.
§ Mr. HORNERIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that a similar resolution has been passed by almost every public body in Ireland that has any connection with the cattle trade?
§ 56. Mr. HUGH BARRIEasked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether 1882 he is now prepared to permit the resumption of hay and straw shipments from Ireland?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI propose to make a statement on this subject on Thursday next.
§ 58. Mr. CHARLES DUNCANasked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether, as the result of the inquiries he has made of the harbour authorities and the railway company at Barrow-in-Furness, there is any prospect of that port being used in the future for the importation of cattle from Ireland?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANYes, Sir; plans have been approved by the Board, and I am informed that the work will be put in hand at once, with a view to the inclusion of Barrow-in-Furness at the earliest possible date in the list of British ports at which Irish stock may be landed.
§ 60. Mr. MORRELLasked the President of the Board of Agriculture how long he intends to keep in force the present Order requiring a twelve hours' detention of Irish cattle at the port of debarkation; and whether, in view of the dislocation of trade thereby caused, with consequent expense to the English consumer, he can see his way to substitute a system of inspection of the cattle before shipment by veterinary surgeons appointed by his Board?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANThe temporary Orders now in operation regulating the importation of Irish cattle into Great Britain will be replaced at an early date by a permanent Order requiring that the animals shall be detained at the landing places for a period of twelve hours in order that they may be inspected, rested, fed, and watered before proceeding to their destinations. These objects, to which the Board attach great importance, could not be attained by the arrangement suggested by my hon. Friend.
§ Mr. WILLIAM O'BRIENHow many Members of this House of any party have pressed the right hon. Gentleman in favour of this restriction?
§ Mr. A. F. WHYTEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware of the decision of the Glasgow Corporation in reference to the wharf, and has he heard that the profitable sale of cattle imported from Ireland is practically stopped owing to the regulation?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI am afraid I cannot accept the statement of my hon. Friend, and I should require to have notice.
§ Mr. W. O'BRIENMay I ask what force of public opinion in this House the right hon. Gentleman claims is behind him in insisting upon these restrictions?
§ Mr. FLAVINCan the right hon. Gentleman give the names of any farmers or dealers in Ireland who have expressed an opinion in favour of twelve hours' detention?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANNo, Sir; but my duty-is to protect Great Britain from the risk of infection being brought into this country, and I must do that so long as I am in my present position.
§ Mr. MORRELLWill the House have an opportunity of seeing the permanent Order before it is enforced?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANThe permanent Order has been fully described in this House at least a dozen times by myself, and I do not think it is necessary to have any further discussion upon it.
§ Mr. HUGH BARRIEIs the right hon. Gentleman not aware that the opposition to this Order is almost as strong in many counties in Scotland as it is universal throughout Ireland?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANNo, Sir. I am not aware of that. There is great variety of opinion I know, but I cannot accept every figure put forward as accurate.
§ Mr. BARRIEIt is accurate about certain counties in Scotland.
§ Mr. FIELDI desire to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture a question of which I have given him private notice, whether, in view of the serious complaints made by many persons on both sides of the Channel engaged in the live stock industry, more especially regarding store cattle and pigs, and as Ireland is now practically free from disease, he will relax and modify the existing Order so as to permit greater freedom of movement for the purposes of grazing and slaughter and enabling quicker sale and transit?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI understand that the complaints to which the hon. Member refers are directed against the provision in the Order now in operation requiring that animals imported from Ireland shall be moved, after detention for twelve 1884 hours at the landing place, direct to their final destinations, where they must be kept under supervision for a further period of twenty-one days. I recognise that this requirement necessarily causes inconvenience, but it is a purely temporary precaution, which I hope to be able to dispense with at an early date.
§ Mr. FIELDCan the right hon. Gentleman give the House any idea when he will be able to modify this extraordinary Regulation?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI hope I maybe able to get rid of the twenty-one days' detention, if nothing happens, in about a fortnight.
§ Mr. FLAVINWill the right hon. Gentleman say why the twenty-one days' detention after the twelve hours' quarantine is still existing in connection with cattle from Munster or Connaught, where no disease of any kind has appeared for the last thirty years, and why should cattle from those two counties be penalised?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANAs I have frequently explained, the twenty-one days is twenty-one days' detention and isolation to prevent the animals being mixed up with other animals. This has caused very little inconvenience and a large number of farmers have found it no inconvenience whatever.
§ Mr. FLAVINWhy should cattle from Munster or Connaught be detained for inspection when there is no disease of any kind in either of those two provinces?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANYes, they should be detained, because some of them have to pass through other counties.
§ Mr. SWIFT MacNEILLWould it not be possible for the right hon. Gentleman to shorten the time he has fixed for the operation of this Order, having regard to the fact that for some weeks past there has not been a vestige of this disease in Ireland?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI have taken the period into full consideration.
§ Mr. LARDNERIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the restrictions on the exportation of stores for market purposes in England from the province of Ulster is having a paralysing effect upon the trade?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI am afraid the hon. Member has not got accurate information. A large number of store cattle have 1885 already come from Ulster, and have gone to firms principally in Scotland. So far from the trade being paralysed, a very large number of animals are allowed to go through.
§ Mr. LARDNERWill the right hon. Gentleman cause inquiries to be made from those engaged in the trade, because trade in store cattle is being paralysed?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI do not know where the hon. Member has obtained his information. I have been getting information from many sources, and I have had the evidence and figures of the traffic before me. I cannot agree that the trade is paralysed, although it is impeded.
§ Mr. SPEAKERAny further questions on this subject had better be put down on the Paper.