The Sun.
London, England, 1866-02-20 00:00:00

ABERDEENSHIRE.

I At the weekly meeting of the Aberdeenshire Rin-
derpest Association, held on Friday, the members,
after disposing of some routine business (the county
is at present free of the disease), took up the con-
sideration of the Government Cattle Plague Bill.
Mr. Barclay, the hon. secretary, after going over
the leading features of the measure, said the state of
matters in regard to the Government propositions
had been considerably altered by the proceedings in
the House of Commons. The Chancelllor of the
Exchequer, in deference, apparently, to Mr. Bright
and Mr. John Stuart Mill, had reduced the amount
of indemnification to one-half in any case, while a
motion by Mr. Hunt for the total stoppage of the
movement of cattle up to March 25th was carried
against Government by the large majority of 83. In
consequence of this serious change in the bill, the
finance committee of the association had that morn-
ing resolved to send a telegram to Mr. Gladstone
asking him to receive a deputation from the associa-
tion. The chairman (Mr. M'Combie, Tillyfour)
said he had no doubt but the unanimous opinion of
the meeting would be that to give compensation to
the extent of only one-half the value of the beasts
would be an inducement to keep the plague secret
wherever it might break out—a most dangerous pro-
ceeding. Mr. Campbell (Blairton) held that the
stoppage of the movement of cattle till the 25th of
March would place those cattle in that part of the
country in a very awkward position. It was quite an
erroneous idea to suppose that such stoppage was the
first and most important step to be taken. In the
experience of the Aberdeenshire association this step
was the last and the least important. In the winter
months it might have had some effect, but now it
was of no use. As to the compensation not being
above £2O in any case, Mr. Campbell consideredthis
to be a premium to persons holding inferior cattle.
Whatever the proportion to be paid was, let it be
settled by a fair valuation. To pay a man £2O whose
stock is perhaps worth £4O, was obviously wrong
and unfair. Mr. Copland (Ardlethen) looked upon
the stoppage of the movement of cattle at this season
as being ruinous to the smaller farmers and crofters,
while it would cause great inconvenience even to the
larger ones. Many of the smaller farmers had no
provisions for their cattle, and, to prevent them
being sent by sea or by railway, would simply be
ruin tomost of them. He was doubtful if any repre-
sentation would have much effect on the point, but
he thought it the duty of this association to do
everything they could in the matter. He agreed in
the opinion that to merely give compensation to the
extent of one-half would incline farmers to conceal
disease. Mr. M'Combie thought the bill had got
into a most unsatisfactory position. The ground
taken by Mr. Bright in regard to the measure, and,
still more so by Mr. Stuart Mill, was so utterly un-
reasonable that he would fain hope, even now, that
a representation would have some effect. Mr. Mill
had put the case in this extraordinary manner :
" But what would be the necessary condition in
order to render that sum a just compensation?
It was necessary that the animal should have two
out of three chances of surviving, and, if not, the
farmers would have an absolute gain." (Laughter).
What could they think of such an argu-
ment? It might have had some force had
the compensation been asked from the public
revenue, but, when the landowners and farmers
were to supply the compensation themselves, why
what business had any one to interfere between them
and what they regarded as justice ? (Hear, hear.)
The thing is so utterly irrational and incredible
'that if it had not been set down in the report of the
speech he should not have believed it. Mr. Barclay
then read the following resolution :—" That this
committee know that the total stoppage of the
movement of cattle means starvation to death in
many parts of this county, and that it will not be
practicable to enforce such a regulation on the score
of humanity, while the experience in this country
shows that, although the movement of cattle carries
the disease long distances, it could not be spread
from local centres if the local prohibitions adopted
by this association were enforced." Thereafter a
deputation was appointed to urge on the Govern-
ment the views expressed in the following telegram,
which had, as stated by the honorary secretary, been
sent to Mr. Gladstone :—" This committee, alarmed
by the reduction of the compensation to one-half,
and fully convinced that this will neutralise the use-
fulness of the measure by inducing concealment of
the disease, solicit your reception of a deputation to
state our experience and views."