Tb. Infected Cows and Compensation

Chronicle (Levin), 21 July 1949, Page 8

Tb. Infected Cows and Compensation

It was some years since the Stock Act had been put through to provide £or the testing of dairy herds and it had never yet been implemented. It seemed extraordinary that the whole Act had been nullified because no finality had been reached on the question of compensation. Thus commented Mr G. C. Petersen at the monthly meeting of the Palmerston North Metropolitan Milk Board last night following an intimation by Mr W. W. Hubbard, of the Livestock Division of the Department of Agriculture, that a stalemate still existed in conneetion with the Tb. testing of dairy herds. Mr Hubbard stated that one dairy herd supplying milk to the city had been tested during the last six weeks and out of about 60 cows, two were found to be infected. T'he ehairman, Mr G-. Tremaine, stated that recently he had heard of oue herd in the district whieh, when tested, was found to contain about 20 infected cows. However, this herd did not supply the city. Mr Petersen said he felt the board should communicate with the Minister of Agriculture expressing its coneern at the failure to implement the intention of t-he Act and that the question of compensation should be settled as soon as possible so that the Act could be enforced. While not opposing the suggestion, Mr W. E. I-Iopcroft stated that he did not think the board would get anywhere by making such representations because of the existing high nost of stock. Mr T. P. Hart: What about .the high ■c-ost of human beings? The boar'd carried a resoltition along the -lines of Mr Petersen 's xecommen•dation.