MR. James Dillon, Minister for Agriculture in the Republic of Ireland, has answered criticisms about the export of horses from his country.
THE CAIIIOLIC HERALD has received a number of letters maintaining that the practice of shipping live horses for work or slaughter overseas involves for the animals a degree of suffering amounting to cruelty, and should not be encouraged by the Government of a Catholic country.
In a letter to Mr, Anthony Hurd. M.P., Mr. Dillon states that the idea that old and decrepit horses are being mercilessly shipped away is without foundation.
"All horses shipped from this country," he writes. "are subject to individual minute examination by veterinary officers of my department, who have the strictest instructions to pass for export only those animals which are healthy. sound and tit for work." An official of the Irish Embassy in 1 ondon has told Tor CATHOLIC
HERALD that this standard is applied to all exported horses, whether they be intended for work or for slaughter.
Staling that the rate of casualties among horses on board ship in 1954 was only 0.42 per cent. of the total number carried, Mr. Dillon adds: "I would even go so far as saying that our inspection system is stricter than that in operation elsewhere."
The Minister further says that accommodation for horses on hoard ship is also subject to si ongen t regulation. -
Sister of beatus
Signora Antionetta Carati. the last surviving sister of Blessed Contardo Ferrini, who was beatified by the present Holy Father, has died in Verhania. Blessed Contardo was Professor of Roman Law at the Universities of Milan and Pavia and a personal friend of Pope Pius Xl.