§ Mr. KENNEDYasked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) under what circumstances a fee of 2s. 6d. is charged per bull when being transferred from the railway to the boat for shipment in Belfast; is this fee chargeable in any other district; and, if so, will he state the names and fees charged; and is there any through rate now via Belfast from towns in the, north of Ireland?
§ Mr. T. W. RUSSELLThe Department are aware that charges are made by the owners of the Cattle Inspection Yard at Belfast (Great Northern Railway) for their services when they undertake the feeding, droverage, etc., of animals in connection with their shipments. It is probable that in the case of a bull, a larger droverage charge is made than for other animals, but the Department are not aware as to the actual sum charged. The distance from the inspection yard to the place of shipping at Belfast, it may be added, is considerably longer than in the case of any other Irish port. At other ports droverage is usually carried out by the owners of the cattle, or by men directly employed by them, save in the case of through-booked stock. Through rates are in force for live stock from North of Ireland stations via Belfast to Birkenhead. There is also a through rate from Cavan via Belfast and Ayr to Carlisle. In other cases the live stock must be booked to Belfast and there rebooked to their destination.