EXTRACTS FROM "HANSARD."

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1899, 23 July 1888, Page 3

EXTRACTS FROM " HANSARD."

SHEEP DEPARTMENT. In the Honse on June 18th Mr Walkor asked the Minister of Lands, whether, la consideration of the unaccountable outbreak of Bcab m the North of the colony, snd the apparent Inability of the Sheep Department to a'ifla the disease known as scab m tho North of the Sooth Island, he llb prepared to submit to the Rabbit or Stock Committee, or to & Committee specially appointed to deal with thiß question, or to a similar Committee recently set up by the Legislative Council, the question of reorganisation of the Sheep Department ! The question was ono of emergency, and he trusted that upon notice of tho question being given the Government had token lb into consideration and were prepared to deal with tho matter, and to submit the question of reorganisation of the Sheep Department to a Committee. MrG.F Richardson said this was a somewhat peculiar question, bb It almost seemed to be, on the faco of it, a motion of want of conGdeneo In the Minister m charge of the Stock Department. He did not eoe any reason for any exceptional stepa being taken on. account of the unfortunato outbreak of so»b In the North. The scab was limited to a vary email area, and was being properly dealt with at the present mQment At the same time ho should be glad to receive any recommendations from the. Stock Committee with regard to the matter, ho did not think It would be quite m order to refer the reorganisation of the department to a Committee,

Mr Walker did not think the answer of the Minister at all satisfactory. The Minister had oply referred to the outbreak of scab m the north, which most distinctly arose from gross neligonco on the part of the department. There wub not a word Raid by the Minister as to the ability of the department to keep down the disease m the north of the South IsJ»n,d The matter was certainly one tint rnuat pome up for discussion. Mr Lance aßked whether the Minister of bandti could give any information about a Buppoßed judgment oE Mr Justice Ward's, which appeared m that morning's piper, 08 follows: — 'In tho Supreme Court, Chriotnhurch, to-day, Mr Jußtice Ward quashed the convict'.cn of A. Wachamann, manager of the JTopofield Station, who had boon fined £20 by 0. Whitefoord for not having mndo sufficient exertions to c'our certain sheep from Bcab. There were four thoußaud sheep m the flock ; but it was not shown that all were actually infoctod. The Judge hold that It must be shown that the sheep wevo actually, and not merely technically, scabby. '.'

He hoped be should he»r that this report was not correct, because all ho could say was that if it waa correct fchoy wonld have to take iome extraordinary measures. As far as bo could road the Sheep Aot, which had been m force ton years, and under whioh numerous penalties had been enforced, the definition was particularly dear, and to Bay for a moment that every ohcep m a flock muat be infected before the flock could bo aajd to be lnfeoted with soab was utterly rldioulous.

Mr G F. Richardson said he had notlqad that deololon In th,e morning's paper, and, recognising the importance of It, he had caoacd hjqulrloß to be mado as to whether It was a correct report. If so, It was clear that some amendment of the dheep Aot would, be necessary ; otherwise, aB everybody who knqw anythlqg about ohoep must be awaro, would be ltnpoßßible tq obtain a QoVvlotlon under the Aot — that was to say/ i£ it was considered necessary that the whole of the sheep should be Infected. 'He had caused Inquiry to be made, and hoped Boon to be able to glve|fnrtber }a formation.