CATTLE EMBARGO.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 December 1922, Page 2

CATTLE EMBARGO.

[BY TELETRAI'H— rER.rKESS ASSOCIATIONj LONDON, December 14. In the House of Lords, Devonshire moved, on the Government’s behalf, that the Bill providing for an embargo on jmpoited cattle he read the second time. . . He said he regretted the omission of the clause to give the same consideration to cattle from other Dominions as that which the Bill proposes to extend to cattle imported from Canada, He added that, if arrangements could Tie leached at the next Imperial Conference in reference to this matter, the Government would introduce legislation to 'five full effect to it. - j The House of Lords read the Bill the second time. Lord Long spoke on the motion. He said that he regretted the omission of the clause (previously included) which gave the Mritish Minister of Agriculture tile power to sanction the impori tation of cattie from the other Domin- ‘ ions. Lord Long added that he hoped that this matter would he discussed at ! the forthcoming Dominion’s Confer-

ence. Lord Stanhope said he hoped, that- no pledge would he given by the ment to accede to the Dominions mauds without a full enquiry. ! A CONFESSION, j In closing the debate, Lord Devonshire said he had not- the slightest doubt that the clearest possible under-

takings hod been' given that the teI moval of the restrictions on the Cana- ‘ dian cattle were also intended to ply equally to the cattle imported from ! the other Dominions. He' was fully prepared to give an undertaking that, if this point Were raised at the Impe-

rial Conference, which it was hoped would meet'in London'in 1923, and if v satisfactory arrangements were reached. the Government would ignore this legislation, and give effect to the arrangements. British live' stock lie said > had no fear of tile live stock from the Dominions hut rather feared ilie growI ing competition of the chilled and frozen meat. Sir Joseph Cook (Australian High

Commissioner) lias conferred with Lord Devonshire regarding the qmission from the Cattle Embargo' Bill of the clause extending to tlie other Dominion the same consideration as the Bill extends to Canadian cattle. This means conferring a privilege on Canada and that is mot conceded to other parts of - the Empire. Sir J. Cook said that such a differentiation was wrong in principle. Lord Devonshire intimated that he hoped to see what' could he done to reinstate the clause when the Bill . goes before the House of Lords. An authority on Britisli bloodstock cattle in the course of an interview' pointed out ( that even though the British embargo Australasian cattle were removed it would not- produce

anv considerable importation in blood--tock cattle from Australia and New Zealand. There was only likely ho said to be an occasional importation from one or two of Australia and New Zealand’s best herds. These would be imported only with a view to testing the effect of crossing. .Apart from the * removal of any official embargo on such stock their importation would entirely depend upon the attitude of the British bloodstock breeding societies. If the latter refused to admit Australasian importations to their herd hooks it would be useless to send breeding cattle to Britain. He instanced some Friesians recently imported from South Africa. The breeders there had imagined that they were going to flood Britain with high-priced Friesians but the societies after completing tlieir imporTat»n of specially selected stock required for a specific purpose refused to rebgnise any further shipments. This av- - thority incidentally declared that the recent outbreak of foot and mouth disease was due to Irish Sinn Feiners who

deliberately injected infection into- cattle before their shipment to 'England with the result that when the cattle were marketed the disease ■ spread throughout the country.