Letters and Papers Concerning the Trans-Persian Railway and Other Railways in Persia [‎139v] (278/442)

1917 Foot-and-Mouth Disease. HOUSE OF
[Mr. MacVeagh.]
position to announce whether the restric
tions with regard to the Port of Newry
will be relaxed?
Mr. RUNCIMAN: Communications are
passing with the port authority. I would
point out in regard to smaller places that
we have only a limited number of in
spectors, and we must as much as possible
concentrate upon importation upon a few
ports and by a feAv ships. As soon as it
is possible to increase the staff we will do
our best.
Mr. WILLIAM REDMOND : May I ask
whether, in view of the great importance
of this matter to Ireland, the right hon.
Gentleman will consider it possible to
increase his staff in order that there might
be no undue delay ?
COMMONS Cadeby Colliery Explosion. 1918
Mr. T. M. HEALY: Can the President
of the Board of Agriculture give us any
idea when he will be able to make a state
ment as to his intention to open the Irish
ports? It is now practically seventeen
days since the original outbreak, and the
period of incubation has long passed. Has
he any idea when he will be able to make
a statement?
Mr. RUNCIMAN: I cannot accept the
assumption in the hon. and learned Gentle
man’s question, and I am afraid I cannot
give him a definite answer to-day.
Mr. T. M. HEALY: When does the right
hon. Gentleman hold out any hope that he
will soon be able to give us an answer ?
Mr. RUNCIMAN: When I am satisfied
that there is no risk of infection coming
from Ireland.
♦
Mr RUlNCIMAN: We have already
augmented our staff and the local authori
ties and veterinary officials are giving us
the fullest assistance. I do not think I
can increase the number at present.
Mr. O’DOWD: May I ask whether,
seeing that in the whole province of Con
naught there has been no case of foot-
and-mouth disease for fifteen years, and
that the port of Sligo is now closed for the
exportation of cattle, he will not see his
way to give exemption to that port?
Mr. RUNCIMAN: No, Sir; I cannot
give an Order for exemption or restriction.
Sligo is in the same position as Westport.
If the hon. Gentleman will communicate
with me I will let him have the latest news
from the port authority.
Mr. SHEEHAN: I beg to ask the right
hon. Gentleman the President of the Board
of Agriculture a question, of which I have
given him private notice: Whether he is
aware that under the relaxed Order made
by him two large cargoes of fat cattle were
shipped from Cork on Monday to English
ports, and that the veterinary examina
tion, both on shipment and at the ports of
destination, showed that there was not the
smallest trace of disease in either cargo;
and whether this result will not encourage
him to make further relaxations as to ship
ments of livestock from the port of Cork?
Mr. RUNCIMAN: There will be no un
necessary obstacles put in the way of the
shipment of fat cattle under the same con
ditions as those referred to by the hon.
Gentleman.
CADEBY COLLIERY DISASTER.
Mr. W. E. HARVEY: I beg to ask the
Home Secretary a question of which I have
given him private notice, whether he can
give to the House the latest information
in regard to the explosion at Cadeby Col
liery, Yorkshire. How many lives have
been lost; how many men have been in
jured; and what provision he intends to
make for representation of the Home
Office at the coroner’s inquest, and for the
inspection of the Cadeby Collieries, with a
view to ascertaining the cause of the ex
plosion, seeing that the chief inspector of
mines for the district and two of his assis
tants lost their lives by a second explosion
while assisting in the work of rescue after
the first ?
Mr. McKENNA: I am sure that hon.
Members would wish me to express the
profound sympathy of the whole House
with the relatives of the victims of this
terrible disaster. I must add also, on
behalf of the Government and of my own
Department, our sense of the loss of the
three very distinguished public servants
who sacrificed their lives in
4.0 r.M. the performance of their
duties. The chief inspector
went to the colliery yesterday evening and
last night, and this morning I received the
following telegrams from him:—
“The first explosion at Cadeby Colliery happened at
about 4.30 this morning in the South district of the
Barnsley seam, which is the only seam worked at
Cadeby Colliery. There were 505 persons in the pit at
the time, of which thirty-five were in the South district
Thirty-three of these are supposed to have been killed
outright by the explosion. There is, however, no
y definite information as yet respecting the other two.
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