The Sun.
London, England, 1866-02-22 00:00:00

" Fasque, Laurence Kirk, N. 8., Feb. 20."

The act to amend the law relating to contagious
or infectious diseases in cattle and other animals,
which received the Royal assent on Tuesday, was
yesterday issued. The statute contains 34 sections,
and is to continue in force until June 1, 1867, and
to the end of the then session of Parliament. The
term " cattle" is to mean bull, cow, ox, heifer, or
calf ; and " animal" to mean, besides, sheep, goats,
and swine. Other terms are defined, as also the
metropolis and also a county. The act is not to
apply to Ireland. For the purposes of the act, the
expressions, " district," "local authority," " local
rate," and " clerk of local authority," are to mean
the places, bodies of persons, rate, and officer in the
schedule. Within the city of London and liberties,
the Court of Lord Mayor and Aldermen is to be
deemed the "local authority," except that of making
a rate ; and for the purpose of making a rate for
the act, the Metropolitan Board of Works is to be
the local authority. As soon as conveniently after
the passing of the act, appointments of local autho-
rities in Scotland are to take place. " Where the
General or Quarter Sessions in any county do not
stand adjourned to some day not later than seven
days after the passing of this act such sessions shall,
notwithstanding, be deemed by virtue of this act
to stand adjourned to Monday in the first week in
which this act passes." The first meeting of the
local authority in Scotland is to be fixed by the
convener of the county, and the local authority may
adjourn from time to time as they may think fit.
A local authority is empowered to form a committee
of its own members ; every local authority is with
all convenient speed to appoint such number of
inspectors and other offices as may be necessary
for carrying into effect the provision of the act
within its district. "It shall assign them such duties
and award them such salaries or allowances as it
thinks expedient, and no stamp shall be required on
the appointment of any officer made in pursuance of
this act. It may revoke any appointment so made,
provided that all persons appointed inspectors be-
fore the passing of this act under the authority of
any order of the Lords of her Majesty's Privy Coun-
cil relative to the cattle plague, and being such at
time of the passing of this act, shall be called in-
spectors to act in the execution of this act in and
for the districts for which they respectively were
appointed ; but every such appointment may at any
time be revoked by the authority that would be em-
powered to revoke it if it had been made under this
act. The certificate of an inspector of the local au-
thority that the animal is affected by cattle plague
shall, for the purposes of this act, be conclusive
evidence in all courts of justice and elsewhere of its
having been so affected. Any inspector or other
officer authorised to carry into effect the provisions
of this act may at all times enter, any field, stable,
cowshed, or other premises within his district where
he has reasonable grounds for supposing that cattle
affected by the cattle plague are to be found for the
purpose of carrying into effect the provisions of this
act ; and if any person refuses admission to or Ob-
structs or impedes, or aids in obstructing or imped-
ing, any such inspector or other officer, he shall for
each offence be liable to a penalty not exceeding
£2O ; provided always, that such inspector shall, if
required, state in writing the grounds on which he
has entered such premises for the purpose aforesaid."
The act is then divided into two parts. The tem-
porary provisions in Part I. are to continue in force
till the 15th of April, 1866, and no longer, unless
continued or renewed by Order in Council. Every
local authority is to cause all animals affected with
the cattle plague to be slaughtered, and, by way of
compensation, for every animal so slaughtered, pay
to the owner such sum not exceeding £2O, and not
exceeding one-half of the value of the animal im-
mediately before it was affected with the cattle
plague, as to such local authority may seem fit.
Such affected animal is to be buried as soon as
possible in its skin in some proper place, and to be
covered over with a sufficient quantity of quick-
lime or other disinfectant, and with not less than
6ft. of earth. Sheds and other places are to be
purified, acd power is given to order the slaughter
of cattle herded with diseased animals. There is
also power to ascertain the value of slaughtered
animals. "All cattle brought by sea from any
place in Great Britain, or from any place out of the
United Kingdom into any town or place in Great
Britain, shall be marked by clipping the hair off the
end of the tail, and no such cattle shall be removed
alive from such town or place except by sea. No
cattle shall be moved on any railway before the
25th of March, 1866." In Part 11. of the act all
expenses incurred by a local authority, including
compensation, are to be defrayed out of a local rate
defined by the act, or out of a separate rate, to be
levied in all respects in the same manner as a local
rate. Any person who is not the owner of the pre-
mises in respect of which he is rated under this sec-
tion of the local rate may deduct from the growing
rent due to the owner one half of the rate payable
by him for the purposes of the act, and the owner
is to allow the deduction. Where, before the pass-
ing of the act, any person who has suffered so great
a loss by the cattle plague as to entitle him, in the
opinion of the local authority, to the remission of
the whole or part of any rate due from hint for the
purposes of this act, such remission may be granted
by the local authority. The amount of insurance
may be recovered on slaughtered animals. The Pub-
lie Loan Commissioners are empowered to lend money
to any local authority upon the security of the local
rate. " Every local authority shall report to the
Privy Council the state of the cattle plague in their
district, and give such other information with respect
to the cattle plague in such form and at such time
as the Privy Council may require." Land may
be purchased for the burial of diseased animals.
Penalties under the act may be recovered in a
summary manner. An appeal is given. All expenses
already incurred by any local authority are to be
allowed. The act, as stated, is not to continue
longer than the Ist of June, 1867, and to the end
of the then sessions, except as to the power of levy-
ing rates to repay money borrowed. Her Majesty ;
in Council may at any time suspend the operation
of the act as respects the slaughter of cattle.