Lords Sitting of 22 February 1892

CATTLE DISEASE,

  QUESTION—OBSERVATIONS.
  EARL DE LA WARRMy Lords, I wish, after private notice to my noble Friend, to ask Her Majesty's Government whether any steps have been taken with reference to the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease among cattle in this country; and also whether there is reason to suppose that it may have been brought into this country by imported cattle, or whether, as it has been reported; the poison was introduced into this country by raw hides which came from Germany, and have been landed at Harwich? My Lords, I wish merely to put this question to Her Majesty's Government, believing, as I do, that the facts to which I have referred are known to many of your Lordships, and I have no doubt my statement might be corroborated?
  THE MARQUESS OF HUNTLYMy Lords, before the noble Earl replies to my noble Friend's question, I may say that I had already given him private notice of a similar question; but I should like also to ask him further, if he will allow me, whether he can corroborate or not the information as to the importation of this disease through Danish cattle, and whether that opinion, which was expressed by the Board of Agriculture, is not now confirmed? My noble Friend alluded to the Report, which created great sensation in London on Saturday last, that it had been ascertained, through the action of the American Consul, that the disease had been imported by raw hides from a German port landed at Harwich. I should like to know whether that is correct or not; and also to know whether any further outbreaks have been notified this morning of this disease in this country; and what steps the Board of Agriculture have taken to cope with the disease?
  THE LORD PRIVY SEAL (Earl CADOGAN)My Lords, perhaps both my noble Friends will allow me to answer their questions together. With regard to the question of my noble Friend
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  behind me, I beg to remind him that my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Agriculture on two occasions in the House of Commons—on the 11th inst., I think, and as late as on the 18th—replied to questions at very great length, stating, step by step, what proceedings had been taken by the Board of Agriculture in view of the undoubted outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease; and I think that the House would hardly wish me to read at great length the replies of my right hon. Friend—they were published in all the newspapers; but, if my noble Friend behind me would wish to have them printed, I could, no doubt, give them to him. With regard to the further question of the noble Marquess, no further facts have been elicited by the Department as to the origin of this disease; and with reference to the report which has obtained currency during the last day or two (which I think had its origin in one of the newspapers on Sunday), namely, that it had been found that the origin of the outbreak was the importation of some infected raw hides into this country, the Board of Agriculture have, through their officers, and with the assistance of the Custom House officials, made the very strictest inquiry into that report, and have no reason whatever to believe that there is any truth or foundation in it. I believe I have answered the questions of both my noble Friends.

TARIFF AGREEMENTS.

  QUESTION—OBSERVATIONS.
  THE EARL OF KIMBERLEYMy Lords, I wish to ask the noble Lord the Secretary of State for the Colonies a question of which I have given him private notice. It has been stated in the newspapers that an agreement has been come to between the West Indian Colonies and the United States as to certain articles of tariff, which will allow sugar, I believe, to be imported into the United States on more favourable terms, in return for a certain concession in the tariff for the West Indian Islands. I should be glad to know from the noble Lord whether that statement is true; whether the changes in the tariffs in the West Indian Islands involves any differential duties against this country, or merely alters the duties so as to lower them for all

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  importers; and, lastly, whether Papers will be laid on the Table in a short time?
  THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Lord KNUTSFORD)My Lords, in reply to the last part of the noble Earl's question, I would say that the Papers will be laid on the Table at the earliest possible opportunity. In the meantime I had better answer the other question of the noble Earl at a little more length, as the subject is one of very great importance. About the close of last year the Colonies were unofficially and informally notified that, unless they were prepared to make reductions of their duties, it would be necessary for the President of the United States, under Article 3 of the McKinley Tariff Act, to re-impose duties on sugar shipped from the Colonies into the United States. This was a question of vital importance to the West Indian Colonies, and they urgently pressed Her Majesty's Government to negotiate with the United States on their behalf. I need hardly say that Her Majesty's Government were very ready and, willing to do so. The result of the negotiations has been that the different Colonies (Grenada only excepted, because, I think, she does not import sugar into the United States) have agreed in some cases to abolish altogether, and in other cases to reduce, their import duties upon certain articles; and I may mention that those articles are, in the main, articles of food, or articles of general popular consumption in the islands. I will just mention some of them, because I know the noble Earl takes an interest in this question—bacon, bread, lard, corn-meal, flour, petroleum, &c. The reduction applies to all these articles whatever is the country of their origin, and therefore there is no question at all of differential duties in the matter. Her Majesty's Government have very readily assented to the reduction of these import duties upon articles of food and articles of general consumption, because it is a step in the direction of a policy which has been pressed upon these Colonies by successive Secretaries of State, certainly by the noble Earl himself in 1881 and 1882, and, I think, probably by the noble Earl (the Earl of Derby) also, due regard of course being had to securing that there shall be no great loss of revenue. I will only add
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  that the question of how to make good the loss of revenue, which will be caused by these reductions, is now receiving the consideration of all the Colonial Legislatures.

MEDINA TUNNEL BILL [H.L.]

  SECOND READING.
  Order of the Day for the Second Reading, read.
  VISCOUNT BARRINGTONMy Lords, I beg to hand in to your Lordships a letter which I received on Saturday morning (handing in the same). I know no more about the Bill than is contained in that letter, namely, that the County Council do not approve of it except under certain circumstances.
  THE CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES (The Earl of MORLEY)The County Council must make their recommendations at the proper time.
  Bill read 2a.

EAST INDIA OFFICERS BILL [H.L.] (No. 10.)

  COMMITTEE.
  Order of the Day for the House to be put into Committee, read.
  THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Viscount CROSS)My Lords, I stated, when I had the honour of asking your Lordships' leave to introduce this Bill, that I thought the drafting of it might be very much simplified, ànd that I had only presented it in its present form because it was the form in which it passed the Standing Committee of your Lordships' House last year. I now propose, with your Lordships' permission, to go through the Committee stage pro formâ, and after the Report has been received to introduce the Amendments and put down the Committee for Thursday.
  House in Committee (according to Order).
  Bill reported without Amendment: Amendments made; Bill re-committed to a Committee of the whole House on Thursday next; and to be printed as amended. (No. 18.)

EVIDENCE IN CRIMINAL CASES BILL [H.L.]—(No. 4.)
House in Committee (according to Order).
Bill reported without Amendment; Standing Committee negatived; and Bill to be read 3a to-morrow.

ARCHDEACONRY OF CORNWALL BILL—(No. 5.)

  SECOND READING.
  Order of the Day for the Second Reading, read.
  THE LORD STEWARD (the Earl of MOUNT-EDGCUMBE)My Lords, your Lordships have already passed this Bill in several successive Sessions, and I do not propose to take up your time by giving explanations which have been given before.
  Moved, "That the Bill be now read 2.a" (The Lord Steward.)
  Motion agreed to: Bill read 2a (according to Order), and committed to a Committee of the whole House.

INDIAN COUNCILS ACT (1861) AMEND-BILL [H.L.]—(No. 3.)

  THIRD READING.
  Order of the Day for the Third Reading, read.
  Bill read 3a (according to Order), and passed, and sent to the Commons.
  House adjourned at twenty-five minutes before Five o'clock.