§ Mr. WILKIEasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture if he is aware that at the Imperial War Conference on 26th April, 1917, the President of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries stated that, so far as the English Board of Agriculture was concerned, they were in favour of the removal of the embargo on the importation of Canadian cattle, and that he did not believe that there was then or had been for a good many years past the slightest ground to exclude Canadian cattle on the score of disease, and that a resolution moved at that conference that the embargo of Canadian cattle should be removed as speedily as possible was accepted by the President of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries; and, in view of the foregoing, if he will say when it is proposed to take the necessary steps to fulfil that pledge and have the embargo removed?
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Sir ARTHUR BOSCAWENWith respect to the first three parts of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the detailed answer given by the President of the Board on25th May and 25th October, 1917. As to the last part, Canadian cattle can be imported into this country for slaughter at the port. But legislation would be required to permit their importation as stores. If imports could be restricted with absolute certainty518W to cattle, born and reared in Canada, and leaving that country for the first time by direct shipment to a British port, it would be impossible to exclude them only on the ground of diseases from which they are exceptionally free. But the Board is not of opinion that importation would be to the advantage of the agricultural community of this country, and has no intention of introducing legislation in the sense asked for by the hon. Member.