Mr. Chamberlain told a deputation of anxious farmers on Tuesday
that the Government would leave the House of Commons free to vote on the motion for the removal of the embargo on the importation of live cattle from overseas. He himself would oppose the motion. From the farmers. standpoint the imports: tion of live cattle, except from Ireland, is undesirable' lest they should bring disease and contaminate our -valuable herds, which enjoy- a world-wide reputation. The Canadians,' however, according to. Sir Robert Borden -in Wednesdays Timed, have been led to believe that the embargo is retained to protect the home breeder and that the sanitary objection is mere pretence; Further, gir Robert Borden maintains that at the Imperial War Conference of 1917 the Government gave- a definite pledge to admit Canadian store cattle. It is very much to be regretted that the Government should have mishandled the question so as to give Canada an entirely false impression of our old policy. If it be possible to guarantee the healthiness of store- cattle from Canada, and to lift the embargo only in respeetef Canada, the Canadian grievance might be removed. It must be-remem- bered ' that the supply of Irish store cattle will probably diminish very rapidly as the anarchy in the South spreads and the grazing farms are confiscated by gunmen.
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