32 CATTLE DISEASES 



venience suffered by persons employed at Deptford desired 

 him to expose the live stock of this country to the risk of 

 further outbreaks of Foot and Mouth Disease, by admitting 

 animals from one of the German provinces. They also 

 brought under the notice of the new Minister the request, 

 which they had repeatedly pressed on the Privy Council, 

 for effective efforts to stamp out Pleuro -Pneumonia ; for 

 entrusting control to a Central Authority, and providing 

 for compensation from the National Exchequer. 



1890. 



In February a very large deputation organised by the 

 Chambers waited upon the President of the Board of Agri- 

 culture to again press the urgency of dealing with Pleuro - 

 Pneumonia on the lines recommended by the Departmental 

 Committee in 1888 ; Mr. Chaplin gave a most satisfactory 

 reply, and immediately afterwards introduced the Con- 

 tagious Diseases (Animals) (Pleuro -Pneumonia) Bill. At the 

 Council meeting in April this Bill was generally approved, 

 but regret was expressed that the power given to the Board 

 of Agriculture to slaughter all cattle that had been in contact 

 with diseased animals was not compulsory. The Bill received 

 the Royal Assent on the 4th July. During July the Board 

 addressed a letter to the Chairman of the Chamber, asking 

 for the aid of the Central Chamber in carrying out the pro- 

 visions of the Pleuro -Pneumonia Act. At the November 

 meeting the Cattle Diseases Committee presented a Report 

 expressing appreciation of the energy displayed by the Board 

 in carrying out the Act, and stated that it had been received 

 with unanimous approval by stock owners. 



At the April meeting the attention of the Board was called 

 to the revival of efforts to obtain the removal of the prohibition 

 on the importation of store cattle from certain States of 

 America, and an emphatic opinion was expressed as to the 

 extreme danger of such relaxation. At the November 

 Council meeting the Committee referred to the Meat Inspection 

 Act, then recently passed by the United States as " a menace 

 to this country," and expressed the opinion that at least six 



