§ 33. Mr. BLUNDELLasked the Minister of Agriculture whether the Government propose to adopt the recommendations in the Report of the Imperial Shipping Committee on certain aspects of the Canadian cattle trade?
Mr. GUINNESSWith regard to the first recommendation, I am prepared to authorise the use of further additional ports for this trade, if port authorities or private enterprise on whom the onus lies will provide suitable accommodation. I understand that a private company is in process of formation, which intends to provide a landing place for Canadian cattle at Tilbury. I have given careful consideration to the second recommendation as to the three days' quarantine in Canada, but find most grave objections to any revision of the existing requirement. This condition formed part of the original agreement with the representatives of the Canadian Government in October, 1922, as announced in the Press on 3rd November, 1922, and was embodied in Section 1 (2) (c) (i) of the Importation of Animals Act, 1922, as a necessary safeguard against the introduction of disease. For the same reason I consider there are no less cogent objections to any amendment of the Diseases of Animals Acts to exempt cattle, consigned as fat and not undergoing the throe days' quarantine, from slaughter at the port at a foreign animals' wharf, as required by Section 24 and Part I of the Third Schedule of the Act of 1894.