§ Mr. NOLANasked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland), whether he is aware that the Board of Agriculture (England) see no reason, as far as they are concerned, why more than one cargo of cattle a week should not be brought to Drogheda; if so, whether he will give instructions accordingly; and whether he will make representations to the English Board with regard to the shipment of store cattle from Drogheda?
§ Mr. T. W. RUSSELLAs regards the first part of the question, the Department are not aware of anything to prevent shipments of fat stock from Drogheda whenever there is accommodation for them at538W the approved foreign animals wharves in Great Britain. As a matter of fact, a shipment of fat stock took place from Drogheda on Monday, a second yesterday, and it is understood that a third is being arranged for on Saturday next. With reference to store cattle, however, owing to the very limited accommodation for such cattle at the prescribed landing place at Birkenhead and to the conditions of quarantine there, it is only possible to admit from Ireland two thousand store cattle every seventh day. Owing to the difficulty of controlling the numbers to be sent from each port so as to avoid blocking the landing place with cattle that could not be accommodated, it has been arranged that in the first instance these shipments shall take place only from five of the largest exporting ports.