Dee. 1894.] 



PARLIAMENTARY PUBLICATIONS. 



23^ 



XVI.— PARLIAMENTARY PUBLICATIONS DEALING 

 WITH AGRICULTURE. 



Report of the Departmental Committee appointed by the Board 

 of Agricultiire to inquire into the Transit by Water and 

 the Embarkation and Landing of Animals carried Coast- 

 wise, [C.-751L] Price M. 



The Board of Agriculture appointed a Departmental Com- 

 mitte on the 8th March 1894 to inquire and report whether any, 

 and, if so, what amendments could with advantage be made in 

 the regulations then in force under the provisions of the Con- 

 tagious Diseases (Animals) Acts with regard to the transit by 

 water and the embarkation and landing of animals carried 

 coastwise. 



In their Report, dated 7th August 1894, the Committee state 

 that as the words of the remit did not exclude amendments in 

 the regulations for which extended powers may be necessary, 

 they did not consider themselves debarred from considering 

 such amendments, even in cases where legislation may be 

 necessary to give them effect, and in interpreting the words 

 embarkation and landing," they dealt with the remit as in- 

 cluding the treatment of animals at the port of embarkation and 

 after landing at the port of debarkation. They also considered 

 it their duty to deal with a few matters which appeared 

 intimately connected with the objects of their inquiry, although 

 in strictness they might perhaps be considered to belong more 

 immediately to the general law for the prevention of cruelty to 

 animals. 



The recommendations of the Committee are to the following 

 effect : — 



(1.) That in order to secure the more effective control of the 

 Government Departments concerned over the sea-borne 

 Irish cattle trade, all vessels engaged in it should 

 require a licence from these Departments, to be granted 

 on the production of the certificate of the Board of 

 Trade, on behalf of the Irish Privy Council, and to 

 remain in force for the same peiiod as that certificate, 

 but revocable in case of offence against the regulations 

 of the Irish Privy Council oi' the Board of Agriculture, 

 and that the carrying of live stock in numbers above a 

 low fixed maximum without such licence should be 

 forbidden under a substantial penalty. 



(2.) That inspectors should be employed by the Departments, 

 whose duties should include travelling in cattle ships 

 and inspecting them while at sea. 



(3.) That owners of licensed ships should be required to make 

 periodical returns of casualties occurring on board. 



(4.) That the regulations at present in force should be 

 strengthened by the adoption of certain of those in 



