§ Sir B. STANIERasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture whether Friesian cattle are shortly to be imported from Canada to this country; and, if so, under what Regulation?
Sir A. BOSCAWENIn the early part of last year an application was received from the British Friesian Cattle Society for authority to land some Holstein Friesian cattle to be brought from Canada. The Board having satisfied themselves that the exceptional circumstances rendered the importation of a limited number of such animals desirable, and that such importation was authorised by Sections 24 and 27 of the Diseases of Animals Act, 1894, as amended by the Diseases of Animals Act, 1896, expressed their assent to the importation subject to stringent quarantine provisions, which would avoid any risk of the introduction of disease. No animals have yet been imported under this arrangement, and the Ministry have no definite information as to whether it is proposed to import any.