The Daily Telegraph. MONDAY, JULY 30, 1883.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3756, 30 July 1883, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph. MONDAY, JULY 30, 1883.

JVIUIN.Uii.X, JUJJX ou, 1000. In speaking in the Legislative Council f lately on a motion that the Sheep Act should be carried out in its integrity, the Hon. Sir G. S. AVhitmore thought there was fair ground for appointing a committee, because the papers they had beforo them were c.v parte ; they were merely the departmental reports, aud there might be something to bo said on the other side—he did not say there was. He thought it was ' almost impossible to induce the Council or anybody else, looking at the matter from a national point of view, to alter tho decision * arrived at in 1878. At that time certain ' districts had, through grievous neglect for many years, fallen into a very bad condition

in regard to scab. In passing the Act, Parliament gave those districts an extension of time longer than other districts, but would go no further, except in the case of Marlborough, where a further extension for two years was granted. He did not look on the motion or the amendment as censuring the Government. It was not at all fair, iv bringing these matters before the Council, to work on their sympathies. He had great sympathy with gentlemen who, having entered into business with adequate capital, found after twenty years that, through the neglect of their neighbours, their sheep were in a scabby condition, and that they wanted more capital than they had to eradicate it. He regretted to hear any one speak in a tone as though these gentlemen were guilty of some fault. These were misfortunes which early colonists had to confront, but he did not think it should deprive them of all sympathy. But at the same time, there was such an object as self-preservation, and they must not, out of symapthy for half a dozen sheep-fanners, allow scab to exist in perpetuity in New Zealand. Although he did not want to say a word of censure on the Government, still ho felt that scab ought to have been eradicated long ago. But it still existed in the AVairarapa and in Auckland, ancl it was still rampant in Marlborough. Ho thought the Government were somewhat to blame in that, after having the fullest power, they had not eradicated scab in five years. Scab was much less difficult to deal with than foot-rot. The proper cure was fencing, clean musters of the sheep, and several dippings. On what ground, therefore, was the colony still subject to tho danger and loss consequent on the continued existence of the disease, not only in Marlborough, where through the roughness of the country, a special extension of time had bcon granted, but in other districts whore there was anvple opportunity for fencing ? He desired an answer to the question why thc.discnso had been allowed to continue so long, and had intended to ask the question even if this motion had not been brought on. Though he wished to see the Act carried out in its integrity, he could not support the motion, for' the reasons he had stated. It was only in keeping with the usual practice of the Council to hear both sides before coming to a decision, and he should be grieved at their exposing themselves to a*charge of having deviated from that custom, and therefore he _ should like a committee to be appointed to inquire into both sides of the question of the continued existence of scab in the Kaikoura district, but not to inquire whether magistrates should be given discretionary power. Ho did not wish to weaken the hands of the Government, or to hamper them in carrying out the Act in its integrity ; but it was from the English sense of fairness, the wish to hear both sides, that he a committee to bo appointed. The motion was subsequently withdrawn.