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Evening Star, Issue 3637, 19 October 1874, Page 2

Our contemporary, the ‘Daily .Times,’ comes out this morning with, apparently, a feeler designed yet further to raise the price of meat. The intention is evidently to pav-u the way to restricting the importation of sheep and cattle, and thus “foot and mouth disease ”isto be the bugbear. It is not the first time “protection” has been accorded to a class, funder false pretences., No doubt the temptation to export w.ll induce unprincipled expedients to be adopted on the other side to get • rid of questionable stock ; but our veterinary science is not worth much if it is not equal to 'condemning diseased animals attempted to be ihrusf; upon us. During the Maori war the stock owners of Taranaki prohibited importation, under pretence of “ rinderpest,” id order to compel a contractor to purchase o£ them; and the English Government paid him compensation. Butchers’ meat iu Otago was, some years since, enhanced in price on a similar pretext; and only a year or two a a® the Canterbury Government prohibited sheep crossing the Waitaki from Otago, lest “scab” should be intro duced. When it is found, therefore, that Governments may be subjected to pressure for private emolument, even although the pigeon to be plucked is the rest of the community, it is necessary to scotuh the very first moves in so unprincipled a game. Very possiidy our contemporary may be sincere • but whether convinced of the correctness of the course ha advocates, or whether ho 'is merely a tool in the hands of others, the result may be the same—the few may be enriched, while the many may have to pay, and thus become poorer.