GOAT-KEEPING UNDER DIFFICULTIES.
[TO THE EDITOR OF TUE "SPECTATOLL'.] Sia,—Having read the correspondence in the Spectator con- cerning goats, I would like to point out an insurmountable difficulty placed in the way of goat-keepers by the British Government. While staying in Norway for my holidays I was impressed by the number of goats there. I bought two to bring home with me,—the milch-goat of eighteen months, the buck of seven months. They were of a quite small breed, and the female gave two litres of milk a day. Both together, they cost me under a guinea. I took them to Bergen, where they were examined by a veterinary surgeon, who put his stamp upon them, showing they were free from disease of any sort. We inquired of the authorities there whether we might bring them into England, but could receive no exact information. We obtained a Consul's certificate in case it were permissible, and brought the goats to Newcastle. There we were told on our arrival that they would either have to be killed or else returned by the same boat. We inquired of the Board of Agriculture, and they told us that since a Regulation passed in 1903 no cattle might come into England from abroad, so the poor animals had to return. Our hopes of universal goat-keeping in England cannot be fulfilled until this law is changed, as there are so few goats in England that our only chance of obtaining them is by importation. I hope that the Government will soon be brought to see the value of goats to the small farmers and labourers of England, and that they will do all they can to help them.—I am, Sir, &c., H. C. FRANKLIN. Chartridge Lodge, Chesham, Bucks.
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