348 



FOREIGN OFFICE REPORTS. 



[Dec. 1895. 



Inspector de Rov introduced a discussion on the prevention 

 of contagious pleuro -pneumonia, and suggested that " preventive 

 inoculation of pneumonia should only take place subject to 

 Government regulations." This was adopted after some 

 opposition. 



M. Nocard's motion that " The systematic use of tuberculin is 

 the only means of effectually preventing tuberculosis," was 

 adopted. 



On Thursday, September 12th, the debate on bimetaUism in 

 the 5th section w^as continued by the discussion of a motion, 

 introduced by Strauss, for the rejection of the proposals con- 

 tained in M. Allard's report, M. Allard's motion was eventually 

 carried by a lai ge majority. 



With regard to a motion of Baron de Eoj^er de Dour, adopted 

 by Section 3, that " Agricultural labourers ought to own their 

 cottages," M. W. de Selys Longchamps pointed out that it 

 would not be enough for them to own the house, without a 

 piece of neighbouring land attached to it. His proposal, to refer 

 this question to the permanent International Commission for 

 their decision, whether it should not be laid before the next 

 Congress, was adopted. 



At the general meeting on Friday, the 13th, a short debate 

 took place on the question of insurance against mortality among 

 cattle, which had been discussed at length in Section 3. M. Hector 

 Denis warmly advocated compulsory insurance, but was defeated 

 by about 1 0 votes. 



A motion of M. Denis, in favour of »the organisation of 

 a compulsory system of labourers' insurance against old age, 

 ill-health, and accidents, was referred to the permanent Com- 

 mission, with a view to its discussion at the next Congress. 



A report of the 4th section by M. Schmitz, concluding 

 that " Long leases are to be recommended, but cannot properly 

 be imposed," was agreed to unanimously ; after which followed 

 a debate respecting the relations of landlord and tenant, and 

 the advisability of suppressing or maintaining the landlord's 

 preferential claim before other creditors. M. Alexandre Louay, 

 a Government agronomist from Mons, spoke strongly against 

 the landlord's claim, and was opposed by M. Schmitz, junior. 

 M. d'Hont and Baron F. Van der Straten-Pouthoy supported a 

 compromise proposed by Baron de Fontbare, limiting the land- 

 lord's privilege to one year beyond the current one. M. Lefebvre 

 defended the compromise, and M. Denis the motion of M. Louay, 

 which was lost by a large majority, the compromise being then 

 adopted without opposition. 



A motion presented by Section 4, in favour of the employ- 

 ment of prisoners undergoing long sentences in the open air, was 

 adopted without discussion. 



The question of compensation for improvements, to which 

 M. Denis wished to give greater extension, led to some discussion 

 between that gentleman and Count Kolowrat, and, after a short 

 debate, M, Denis' proposals were rejected. Various technical 



