514 
Recommendations of the' 
of ..loans so made, have, in our opinion, greatly contributed to 
the late difficulties of the tenant farmers. 
Upon the important question of the effect of rent upon agri- 
cultural [depression, several witnesses have communicated their 
views. 
While we strongly object to any legislative interference with 
arrangements on the question of rent between landlord and 
tenant, we are of opinion that it will be for the interest of both 
parties that rents should be so fixed by voluntary agreement as 
to enable farmers to meet the difficulties of their position. 
Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act. 
The evidence to which we have already referred proves that 
the effiict of the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act has been 
most beneficial. Wherever the local authorities have carried 
out its provisions with strictness, it has been successful in 
checking the spread of disease. The general effect is shown by 
the diminished number of outbreaks and of animals attacked 
with foot-and-mouth disease during the last eighteen months, 
compared with former periods when the disease prevailed. 
Pleuro-pneumonia is steadily and rapidly declining throughout 
the country. 
These diseases, which are both of foreign origin, are brought 
into the foreign animal wharves from time to time. Although 
every precaution is taken, there can be no doubt that foot-and- 
mouth disease has been introduced into this country from abroad 
by these means. This has led to the demand for the exclusion 
of live-stock from infected countries, which has been urged by 
so many of the witnesses to whose evidence upon the subject we 
have already referred. 
The evidence as to the discouragement which was given to 
the breeding of cattle and sheep in Great Britain, and the 
diminution in the supply of meat which arose from extensive 
disease in the country, appears to us to be conclusive. 
Looking to the great importance of the home supply of meat 
as compared with the supj)ly of live animals from abroad, and 
to the facility with which dead meat can be imported in the 
place of animals that are alive, we recommend that the landing 
of foreign live animals should not be permitted in future from 
any countries as to which the Privy Council are not satisfied 
that they are perfectly free from contagious disease. 
In the course of this inquiry four other objects have been 
more especially brought under our notice, and various sugges- 
tions with reference to them have been submitted to us : — 
