LORD WHARNCLIFFEasked the Lord President, Whether the Local Authority in England could apply the county rate to the payment of rewards offered for information as to illegal removal of cattle?
THE EARL OF AIRLIEinquired, whether any experiments had been made under the direction of the Government, not only with a view of discovering a cure for the disease, but for the purpose of fortifying the systems of animals that had not yet taken the infection? By Papers presented that morning it appeared that the Consul at Warsaw had stated that in Poland mineral water had been found a successful cure. He wished also to ask, whether the Government had placed any animals under the care of Mr. Worms, whose treatment was said to be very effective? He had received a letter that morning informing him of the recovery of fourteen out of fifteen animals. As it was quite possible that even if the disease should be "stamped out" now it might break out again, it was very desirable that if any means of cure should be discovered the treatment should be made known.
§ LORD KINNAIRDsaid, before he left Scotland the disease had disappeared in one place and had broken out in another. The farmers had come forward in a most liberal way with an offer to buy up two or three lots of cattle where the disease had broken out; but the owners would not dispose of them. On the passing of the Bill he had written to the owners to say that they had better take the responsibility of slaughtering the animals; but he had that morning heard that that measure was unnecessary, inasmuch as the animals had all recovered. He knew of other districts where cure was common, and as people did not like to give up the chance of bringing about the recovery of valuable animals, they would endeavour to evade the Act. He declared that he would do his best to evade it himself. They could not expect a person to sacrifice a valuable herd when there was a possibility of cure; and when Mr. Hunt's Bill came on he should have to move an Amendment to it in that respect.
§ EARL GRANVILLE, in reply to the noble Lord who had addressed the first Question to him, had to state that the words of the Act would not authorize the application of the county rate in the manner suggested. With regard to the Question of the noble Earl, the Government had sent down inspectors to ascertain particulars with respect to the cases of cure by Mr. Worms which had been brought under their notice. They had been guided, however, by the Royal Commission from the beginning as to the possibility of curing the disease, and inquiries conducted in the most scientific manner were being made under the auspices of the Commission at the present moment.
§ House adjourned at a quarter before Six o'clock, to Monday next, Eleven o'clock.