§ 67. Mr. DELANYasked the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether he has received a communication sent on behalf of the Munster Agricultural Society, the South of Ireland Cattle Trade Association, and the Irish Cattle Trade Association, Cork, protesting against the continuance of the twelve hours' detention of Irish stock on this side and pointing out the injury it has done and is doing the trade in the increased cost of transit, the risk of loss of markets and further, in regard to dairy cattle, a class of animal which requires skilled attention in the matter of milking, feeding, and general attendance, and pointing out, in particular, that the trade most affected by the twelve hours' quarantine is the young lambs shipped from Ireland and intended for immediate slaughter, and that considerable deterioration results, which 887 causes loss to the public as well as to the trade; and whether he can say when he proposes to cancel this Order?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI have received the communication to which the hon. Member refers, and in response to a request made therein I have offered to receive a deputation on the subject next Monday.
§ 68. Mr. SWIFT MacNEILLasked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he has received a copy of a resolution adopted at a meeting of the county Donegal Committee of Agriculture on the 13th ultimo, representing that the Irish lamb trade is in every way most disastrously affected by the twelve hours' detention Order, the loss on young unweaned lambs being so great as to ruin the trade, and urging the Government to remove the Order which is destroying the most important summer live stock trade; and whether, having regard to the consequences entailed by this Order which causes interference with Irish trade, steps will be taken for its immediate removal?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI have received a copy of the resolution to which the hon. and learned Member refers. In consequence of similar representations made to me by the Newry Agricultural Society, I recently invited that society to send two of its members to Birkenhead in order that they might see for themselves the arrangements made for feeding Irish lambs during the period of detention. My invitation was accepted, and subsequently the secretary of the society courteously wrote to me acknowledging quite frankly that the arrangements were perfectly satisfactory, that the lambs readily partook of the food offered to them, and that they did not deteriorate in condition. Indeed, it has been proved beyond question that the lambs derive substantial benefit from the food and rest which they receive. I am glad to say that during the last few weeks the number of lambs imported into Great Britain from Ireland has been well up to the average. If, however, any doubts still exist in the minds of Irish farmers, in county Donegal or elsewhere, I will gladly give them an opportunity of convincing themselves by a personal visit to the lairages that the statements quoted in the question are quite devoid of foundation.
§ 102. Mr. SWIFT MacNEILLasked the Vice-President of the Department of 888 Agriculture (Ireland), whether he has received a copy of a resolution adopted at a meeting of the County Donegal Committee of Agriculture on the 13th ultimo representing that the Irish lamb trade is in every way most disastrously affected by the twelve hours' Detention Order, the loss on young unweaned lambs being so great as to ruin the trade, and urging the Government to remove the Order, which is destroying the most important summer stock trade; and what steps are in contemplation by the Department to secure the removal of this Order and to prevent the hindrance to Irish trade which its existence produces. I presume the right hon. Gentleman agrees with the President?
§ Mr. T. W. RUSSELL (Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture, Ireland)The resolution has been received. No particulars as to the losses referred to have reached the Department. The exports of lambs so far this year, though lower than in 1912, are substantially in excess of those in 1911. The figures are as follows:—In 1913, up to 31st May, 37,611; for the corresponding period last year, 44,776; and for the same period in 1911, 30,282. The question of the removal of the Detention Order is one for the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries. The period of detention is about to be reduced from twelve to ten hours.
§ Mr. DELANYWill the right hon. Gentleman request the President of the Board of Agriculture to remove the Detention Order altogether? What reason is there for it?
§ Mr. RUSSELLMy hon. Friend had better ask the President of the Board of Agriculture that question.
Mr. KELLYWill the right hon. Gentleman state the gist of the reports by his inspectors as to the young unweaned lambs?
§ Mr. RUSSELLI have sent two inspectors, one to Birkenhead and one to Glasgow, to investigate the whole matter. Their reports go to show that there has been very great exaggeration of the whole matter, that the condition of the young unweaned lambs has been very good, and that they have left the lairages much better than they went in.
§ Mr. DELANYDoes the right hon. Gentleman agree that it takes three officials to hold a Iamb in this operation of feeding, and as a result the food is spilled and the lamb goes starving?
§ Mr. RUSSELLBoth inspectors report that the lambs eat the hay and the lamb food ravenously. They were hungry when they got there, and there was no difficulty at all in feeding them.
§ Mr. SWIFT MacNEILLDoes not this Detention Order owe its origin to the scare about foot-and-mouth disease, and, as that scare is now over, why should not the Detention Order be removed?
§ Mr. RUSSELLThe Detention Order is not an Order of my Department, but of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries in this country. The President of the Board of Agriculture has said over and over again that he is not prepared to remove it, and I must ask that questions as to its removal should be addressed to him.
§ Mr. SWIFT MacNEILLCould not my right hon. Friend bring some gentle pressure to bear upon the President?