DEPUTATION.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2623, 14 July 1871, Page 3

DEPUTATION.

This morning a deputation waited on the Provincial Secretary to place before him the inconvenience and great danger to docks that would accrue through the dismissal of, the scab inspectors. The deputation consisted of Messrs Brunton, J. A. Douglas, Driver, the Hon. Captain Fraser, Messrs Fulton, J. M'Lean, J. Pat tray, and J. Smith. Captain Fraser introduced the deputation. Mr H. Driver and others then explained the object of their waiting upon the Secretary. They said that the runholders viewed with great alarm the steps lately taken b\ the government in dispensing with the services of fhe scab inspectors, and had come to the conclusion that it would be better, in view of their own interests to appoint inspectors and pay them out of their own pockets than to run the risks that their dismissal subjected the runholders to. It was pointed out that the duties of the iuspectois were not merely to inspect sheep on the runs, but t o inquiic into the state of flocks in their neighborhood, and it was believed that there was much scab about the country that rvas kept secret. As the Council bad dia psnaed with the services of all the scab inspectors excepting two, it was useless to apply to the Government to have them reinstated ; and the deputation, therefore, proposed that the Government should levy a small additional tax—say one farthing or halt a farthing per head upon all the sheep in the rovinee ; the number of which was about 2,479, 000. At one farthing per head, this would produce L 2,582 ; and as only about .1.800 was necessary to make up the deficiency in the salaries, and to replace the inspectors an ample margin, even at half a farthing would be available for the purpose. It was pointed out that the runholders were fully aware that they were already heavily taxed, and that they had a claim upon the Government for the proper working of the department; but in view of the General Government instituting a thorough system of inspection throughout New Zealand, it would be better that some understanding should be arrived at, in order to have the inspectors reinstated. It was also shown that the duty of inspectors was not merely to examine flocks on the stations before allowing them to travel, but to keep a vigilant eye upon sheep travelling about the country, of which there were great numbers. Their duty also was to pick up information that could be gained respecting the appearance of scab, that it might be crushed at once, and a searching investigation instituted. The Provincial Secretary said he saw no difficulty in satisfactorily arranging the matter, and that he would at once bring in a bill authorising the Government to collect a small tax, so that the Scab Inspectors should be reinstated, when those who were willing to refund the compensation already paid by the Government would be re-appointed. The deputation then withdrew,