LK > 
REPORT. * XV 
time, of propagating the disease, the great value of the recent slaughter order, under 
which these animals were destroyed, at once becomes apparent. But, as we cannot 
believe that all the diseased cows in the Dublin district have been included in the 
above number of 530, we make a special recommendation herein-after with reference 
to this district. 
. 60. In view of these facts, we have no hesitation in expressing our approval of the 
policy now being carried out by the English and Irish Privy Councils, and we are 
- convinced that, although from the peculiar and insidious nature of the disease, ihe 
result may not be immediate, still we cannot hope for the extermination of pleuro- 
pneumonia in this country except by a vigorous persistence in this policy. 
Compensation. 
61. The scale of compensation at present given, and the manner in which it is 
assessed, seems to us to give general satisfaction. Some exceptions to this, however, 
must be made. ‘The owners of valuable herds of pedigree stock, whilst they are 
disposed to acquiesce in the present maximum limit of 40/. laid down by the Act, 
complain that in many cases valuers have not given them any increased value above 
that of ordinary farm stock for pedigree animals slaughtered. j 
62. The chief complaints, however, have come to us from the dairies of London and 
Edinburgh, the dairymen having protested against a valuation which only takes into 
account the market value to the butcher of the animal slaughtered, whilst its actual 
market value, as a milch cow, is left out of consideration ; and also on the ground 
that no allowance whatever is made to them for the pecuniary injury they sustain to 
their business, nor for the loss from the breaking of contracts for supply of milk. We 
are not able to agree with the demand for compensation for disturbance of trade, 
for this must be regarded as forming a portion of the risk which a dairyman has to 
face on entering his business; and we believe that it can be to a considerable extent 
minimised, by bringing milk from country districts by rail, as is done to a considerable 
extent in England already, where it has been found practically feasible, owing to the 
improved scientific methods of refrigeration and the increased facilities of transport. 
While, however, we cannot admit the justice of a claim for loss of trade, we fully 
‘recognise the hardship which dairymen now suffer from having their stock valued for 
purposes of compensation at their value to the butcher, which in the case of dairy 
stock is low, whilst they have had to pay for them on the basis of their dairy value. 
We believe, therefore, that in the interests of justice, and to avoid friction in the 
administration of the order, Local Authorities, or whatever body is entrusted with 
the administration of the law, should instruct their valuers to award compensation for 
the animals slaughtered on the basis of their value for dairy purposes. 
63. A large majority of the witnesses have taken exception to the sources from 
which the compensation fund has been derived. Their contention was that, inasmuch 
as the eradication of pleuro-pneumonia from the country is of national importance, 
and as the Local Authorities are compelled to act under the directions of the central 
authority in London or Dublin, the money necessary to carry out these orders should 
be derived from the Imperial exchequer, as in the case of the cattle plague, instead of 
being thrown, as at present, upon the local rates. 
64. This, in our opinion, is a question which must depend upon the nature of the 
authority to whom, from time to time, the administration of the Act may be entrusted. 
Tt is obvious that if it should be deemed desirable to transfer to any large extent the 
powers now exercised by the Local Authorities to a central board, it would be im- 
possible to impose upon the ‘ratepayers of any special district the whole of the expense 
of carrying out the instructions of the central authority. We may observe that 
during two of the outbreaks of cattle plague, when the whole power of dealing with 
it was vested in the Privy Council, the expenses consequent upon their administration 
were defrayed out of the Imperial exchequer. 
Administration. 
65. We have, therefore, now to consider in whose hands the administration of the 
Contagious Diseases (Animals) Acts, as applied to pleuro-pneumonia, can be most satis- 
factorily entrusted. 
- 66. In Great Britain at present, whilst the Animals Orders emanate from the Privy 
Council, their direct administration is vested in the various Local Authorities 
throughout the country. The result of this has been that although there has been a 
Q. 658 
8397, 3683. 
Q. 8348-9, 
$690, 
Q. 6526-7. 
Q. 6620, 
8895. 
Q. 7074-6 
8457-9. 
Q. 6192, 
Q. 7290, 
9142. 
Q. 4734-37. 
Compensa- 
tion for 
dairy stock. 
Q. 7030, 
7419-21. 
Q. 4675. 
Q. 4164, 
4169, 7266, 
6075-80, 
7789, 7892- 
95. 
Q. 7366, 
7371, 
~~ 
Source of 
compensa- 
tion. 
Q. 4625, 
8752-3. 
Great 
Britain.’ 
