COUNCIL PAPERS.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 258, 9 April 1875, Page 4

COUNCIL PAPERS.

* CORRESPONDENCE IN CONNECTION WITH THE RECENT OUTBREAK OF SCAB, Christchurch, 19th March, 1875. Sir, —I have the honor to inform you that scab was found yesterday by the inspector in some sheep on Mr Lodge’s farm near the river Styx. The facts in connection with the case are as follows, viz : On the 24th ultimo a flock of about 700 sheep, brought from a farm on the Glenmark run, were sold at the Canterbury Sale Yards to Messrs Lodge, Parish, Mitchell, Kinley of Kaiapoi, and others. The other lots of sheep will be inspected in a day or two. It is a most unfortunate circumstance scab having been found in these sheep, as they have been brought into contact with some thousands of clean sheep in the sale yards on the day mentioned above, and again on the 10th instant, when Mr Lodge sold at the sale yards some fat sheep from bis flock. At present it is impossible to form any decided opinion of the injury likely to arise to the sheep in the district, for I fear it will be a work of time before scab is thoroughly stamped out. I need scarcely point out how miserably defective our Sheep Ordinance is in allowing the owner of sheep depastured on farms within the boundaries of an infected run to remove them at his own pleasure to any part of the province. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, (Signed) P. B. Boulton, Chief Inspector of Sheep, The Provincial Secretary. |Christchurch, 22nd March, 1875. (Memorandum). Referring to my letter of the 19th instant, drawing your attention to scab having broken out on several farms in the central district, in consequence of diseased sheep having been brought from a farm within tht boundaries of an infected run, and sold in the Canterbury Sale Yard on the 24th ultimo, -I have to request you will be pleased to obtain the Provincial Solicitor’s opinion whethey the whole of the sheep sold in the

sale yards on the 24th ultimo, and 3rd, 10th, and 17th instants, are not in the meaning of the Ordinance infected sheep, and what steps he would recommend should be adopted to enforce the law. The committee of the Sale Yards Company have promptly complied with my request, and have had the yards dressed with strong tobacco water. (Signed) P. B. Boulton, Chief Inspector of Sheep. The Provincial Secretary. Christchurch, March 24rd, 1875. [Memorandum. | In reference to the flock of diseased sheep sold in the sale yards on the 24th ultimo and 10th inst, the following information has been ascertained : Rountree, butcher, killed 98 sheep. Ingles, butcher, killed 53 sheep. Horwell, butcher, 20 sheep supposed to be killed, not seen. Mitchell, intends killing 172 sheep. Kiuley, intends killing 156 sheep. Lodge, 168 mixed with 700 sheep on his farm. Parish, 69 mixed with 300 sheep on his farm. The two last mentioned buyers intend dressing these sheep. I would strongly recommend to the Government the advisability of destroying the sheep remaining in possession of Lodge and Parish. As soon as possible Mr Holderncss will furnish a full report of all proceedings in connection with these sheep. (Signed) P. B. Boulton, Chief Inspector of Sheep. The Provincial Secretary. Mr Boulton, Chief Inspector of Sheep. In reference to the late outbreak of scab in the Christchurch yards, the Government desire you to take the most active and stringent measures in regard to confining all the seve ral lots in proof fence enclosures, and that you will make as complete enquiries as possible as to what other sheep and enclosures may have become infected by contact with diseased sheep. Will you recommend that all those of the first infected lot should bo killed at once 1 Report fully as soon as possible. (Signed) Edward Jollie, 23-3-75 Provincial Secretary. (Memo, for Mr Boulton.) In reference to your memo, of to-day, I have to inform you that in accordance with your recommendation the Government have decided that the original lot of scabby sheep belonging to Messrs Lodge and Parish, and bought at the sale yards, shall be destroyed, provided the owners consent to payment of half their cost when purchased. You are also authorised to make a similar arrangement in regard to other sheep of the same lot with those owners who may not have killed their diseased sheep. As it is very necessary that prompt and active measures should be taken in this matter, I have to request that you will em ploy such extra assistance as you may require to enable you to make full enquiries as to what sheep may have mixed or come in contact with diseased sheep, and also that you instruct your assistants to give notice to all persons owning, or having possession of scabby sheep, or sheep suspected of being scabby on account of coming in contact with diseased sheep, that they are required by law to dip such sheep, and prevent them straying, or they will become liable to heavy penalties. Mr Charles E. Newton informs me that by applying to him, he can give you valuable information as to the scabby sheep, &c. (Signed) Edward Jollie. 23-3-75 Mr Boulton, Chief Inspector of Sheep. On further reference to your memo, of today, and my reply thereto, I have to inform you that should the offer to the owners of scabby sheep of half their cost on condition that they be destroyed not be accepted, you are authorised to arrange for their destruction by payment of the whole cost to the owners: (Signed) Edwd, Jollie. March 23rd, 1875. Christchurch, 23rd March, 1875. [Memorandum.] With reference to your memo of to-day’s date, Nos 374, 378, and 379,1 was under the impression, when in my memo of this afternoon I advised the destruction of the sheep, that it was intended to include the original scabby sheep as well as the sheep with which they had been mixed. I cannot see any benefit to be derived by a partial destruction of the sheep, for by this time (a month from the date of sale) the whole of Lodge’s and Parish’s sheep must be more or less infected, and the contingent risk of disease spreading would not be less. In Mr Holderness’ opinion the fences within which the scabby sheep are enclosed are very fairly sheep proof ; nor does he anticipate any difficulty in cleaning the sheep. He gave Lodge and Parish instructions to make immediate preparation for dipping, which he intends shall be carried out under his own supervision. Any neglect on the part of Lodge or Parish can be promptly enforced by law. I believe the following to be a fair valuation of the sheep : Lodge’s (including 168 of ) are 877, average value of 8s each ; Parish’s (including 69 of ), are 400, average value 5s each. Full lists of all sheep sold in the yards on the four last sale days have been obtained, and Mr Holderness will shortly be in a position to commence a systematic inspection of the sheep that have passed through the sale yards since the 24th ultimo. Mr Holderness declines assistance, considering himself quite able to cope with tha present difficulty, and in this opinion I agree, for, without an Assistant Inspector was thoroughly competent to detect scab in all its stages, he would be of little or no assistance. The Government may depend upon prompt and active measures being taken to enforce the law, and a full enquiry made into all the circumstances connected with the case. If I see any necessity for it, I shall avail myself of your permission to employ extra assistance. (Signed) P. B. Boulton, Chief Inspector of Sheep, The Provincial Secretary. 24th.—I did not meet with the Provincial Solicitor last night, and in consequence was unable to get a notice in to-day’s paper. (Signed) P. B, B, Christchurch, 24th March, 1875. (Memorandum.) I have been informed this morning by Lodge that a small flock of 400 sheep (owned by W. Allen, of the River Styx), and which

had been depastured with his (Lodge’s) sheep for two months past, were by Allen taken and sold in the sale yard on the 17th instant. The sheep were sold to butchers, with the exception of a lot of 142 bought by a Rangiora dealer, named Morris Jones. The day or night previous to these sheep being sent to the sale yards they got mixed with a flock of sheep belonging to the Belfast Factory. I" have sent a telegram to Mr Scarvell to look up Jones without loss of time. (Signed) P. B. Boulton, Chief Inspector of Sheep. The Provincial Secretary. Provincial Secretary’s Office, Christchurch, Canterbury, N Z. March 24th, 1875. Sir, —I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your memorandum of yesterday and to-day relative to the sale of diseased sheep to Messrs Lodge and others at the sale yards on the 24th ultimo and the 10th inst, and in reply to inform you that, under the circumstances stated therein, which show that in consequence of infected sheep having been scattered through the country, a great number of sheep and farms must be considered as infected, the Government are of opinion that it would be useless to carry out my instructions of yesterday to purchase a small number of scabby sheep, more especially as Mr Holderness considers the fences of the fields in which those sheep are enclosed are sheepproof. I have the honor to be sir, Your obedient servant, (Signed) Bdwd. Jollie, Provincial Secretary. The Chief Inspector of Sheep. Christchurch, 3rd April, 1875. Sir, —I have the honor to suggest, for the consideration of the Executive Government, that in certain cases a discretionary power should be given to allow of a relaxation of the stringency of the public notice issued lately to sheep farmers. In several instances it has come to my knowledge that mobs of sheep are depastured in paddocks of an inadequate size to keep them in condition for any length of time, and in these cases I would recommend that the owner should be allowed under supervision to remove his sheep to fresh paddocks, approved by the inspector. Also those owners who have fat sheep should be allowed under supervision to drive their sheep to the nearest or most convenient slaughteryard. I would bring under your notice the position in which the vendors and buyers of rams have been placed by the notice of the 25th ultimo, and considering it is now upwards of a month since any of these sheep intermixed with infected sheep coming within the meaning of the Sheep Ordinance, 1 would recommend that owners wishing to sell or remove rams from near Christchurch should be allowed to send them to be dipped at the Addington Dip, if on previous inspection they are found to be clean. I would also draw your attention to the case of those run-holders who purchased rams at the ram fair, for although the rams in most instances have been kept in paddocks by themselves, or only mixed with a few sheep, the whole of the flock on the run come within the meaning of the Ordinance. In offering these suggestions to the notice of the Government, it is my opinion the list of infected sheep may with advantage be divided into three classes, viz : Ist. Sheep actually scabby or have formed portion of a scabby flock. 2"d. Sheep that have intermixed at saleyards. 3rd. Sheep offered for sale at ram fair. The risk of infection being communicated by the latter class is so remote that with the precautions recommended, I consider many of these sheep may, without delay, be released from the restrictions under which they are held by the Ordinance, indeed the retention on the list of infected sheep of the greatest portion of this class is only a form. 1 have the honor to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, (Signed) P. B. Boulton. Chief Inspector of Sheep. The Provincial Secretary. Provincial Secretary’s Office, Christchurch, Canterbury, N.Z, 6th April, 1875. Sir,—l have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the third instant, recommending that the provisions of the Sheep Ordinance be relaxed in certain cases, and in reply to state that the Government do not consider themselves in a position from the information before them to give a general authority to carry out recommendations which may prove to be infractions of the la%v. The Government will be prepared to submit an Ordinance to the Provincial- Council enabling them to deal with the exceptional circumstances as soon as the Inspectors have placed before them the necessary information as to the number of sheep infected or supposed to be infected. I have the honor to be, sir, Your obedient servant, (Signed) Edwd, Jollie, Provincial Secretary. (Extracts of Correspondence from Mr Scarvell.) March 2, 1875—1 looked through Horniman’s sheep to-day. He had only 500, having sold 700 in Christchurch a week or two ago. March 22—1 just now telegraphed to you about Kinley’s sheep, 153 out of the 156 he bought are in his possession in a paddock, part of Wild’s old farm, north branch of the Waimakariri. I noticed two or three just breaking. One I caught I could not get the insect. Rather than go to the expense of branding, cleaning, &c, he intends to destroy them. It’s most fortunate that he was looked up in time, as he intended to put the sheep into the Rangiora Sale Yards this week. March 24—1 am in receipt of your memorandums of the Bth, 9th, 19th, and 23rd instants, and your telegram of to-day. I am about- starting after Maurice Jones’ sheep. I wish to correct my report of Kinley’s lot of Horniman’s sheep. The sheep were not absolutely breaking, and unless you knew that they belonged to a scabby lot, might be readily passed without observation. Two or three of them were biting, and it was one of these I examined. Kinley had no other sheep in the paddock. Mr Moore writes me that he has bought] Horniman’s flock, with the right to his paddock until the 18th November. March 26 —I found 142 sheep belonging to Maurice Jones in a paddock at Woodend belonging to Samuel Stone. He has rented the grazing of the paddock and mixed them with other sheep belonging to him, making the number up to 416. I made out the order to clean pin .Samuel Stone’s name as the occupier of the farm in question. I called at Kinley’s, and saw that he had commenced

killing the sheep; but he is getting on very slowly. I called at Revell’s this morning. He has 650 sheep all bought in Christchurch, and intended to remove them to the neighborhood of Rangiora. Unfortunately they were driven up with Mr Jones’ lot, I shall see him on Monday and serve him with order to cleanse. March 27—1 am in receipt of your memo of 24th and 26th inst. I am glad you have made a distinction in regard to actually scabby sheep and those only diseased within the meaning of the Ordinance, as it will save a deal of unnecessary annoyance, especially in respect to branding with the letter iS. I will see as many of the parties with infected sheep as I can before going to the Hurunui, March 29—Kinley’s sheep (155) are destroyed. I have seen the skins. I received your memo, by Mr H. Revell; he has branded the sheep with the S; I am about to go with the sheep to the paddock he is removing them to. T called at Stone’s farm to-day. Both he and Stone are at Rangiora races, and therefore I cannot report what he intends doing, whether to dip or destroy. I have given Mrs Ball, of Woodend, whose paddock Horniman’s sheep were in a night on their way, notice that it is infected, and not to allow any sheep to be put into it. April 2—Horniman’s were put into the following i yards and paddocks :—Lough’s paddock, Brown’s bridge, night; Bean and Co.’s yards, Leithfield, for one hour; Mrs Ball’s paddock, Woodend, night; yard near bridge, Kaiapoi, for one hour; Mrs Millar’s paddock, Harewood road, night. He says with reference to the mix with Bowie’s sheep, that on passing a paddock near the Woodend Hotel, belonging to Mr Hinge, some sheep broke out and mixed with his on the road; that he caught seven of them and returned them to the paddock, and on arrival at the sale yards found that he had forty-two more of the same orand, that on his return he saw Mr Hinge and found that the sheep belonged to Bowie, and that they were eventually sold at the yards, I questioned him as to his knowledge of scab in his flock, and if he could account for it. He distinctly denies any knowledge of the disease, or how it was communica'ed to his sheep. Both he and Orchard deny that their sheep mixed on either farm. He admits that he has known Moore's rams to swim the Waikari Creek [on to his dand, although they could have walked across, according to his own admission, at a lower part of the boundary where the creek is shallow, and the boundary is fenced. Telegram from Mr Scarvell.—March 20— Justreceived yourtelegram and letter. Found Horniman’s flock scabby this morning. Extracts from Mr Scarvell’s Journal for March—March 2—Called at Horniman’s and looked through his flock as well as I could in his back enclosure. March 19—At the corner Waikari saw a very suspicious looking sheep in Horniman’s Weka Pass paddock. Returned and requested him to bring the sheep in for inspection. March 20—Horniman brought his flock in ; found them scabby, breaking fast; served him with an order to clean. March Bl—Horniman’s sheep (now Moore’s) dipped first time. Memos from Chief Inspector to Mr Scarveil—March 19—My telegram of yesterday would inform you that Horniman’s sheep, sold about three weeks ago in the saleyards, are scabby. Kinley, of Kaiapoi, was one of the purchasers, about 150 sheep, and as he is a dealer, I must request you will give your immediate attention to all sheep that have been in or remain in Kinley’s possession since the sale of Horniman’s sheep. At once declare Kinley’s and Horniman’s sheep scabby. As there cannot be the slightest doubt that Horniman must have been perfectly aware of Moore’s sheep having mixed with his flock, it will be necessary for an enquiry to be made into the case. March 23—Of the three lots (Hornxman’s) seen by Holderness, he found scab well developed in two ; in the third he only found one sheep slightly infected. Ascertain where Horniman camped, &c, &c. Keep a strict watch over Kinley’s proceedings, and make him account for all the sheep purchased on the 21th of February. March 21—Kinley bears a very bad name, so do not take his word, watch him closely, and see that the sheep are killed and the skins counted by yourself. Give M. Jones notice he must dip the sheep bought in the sale yards on the 17th, and any sheep they may have mixed with. Carry out the law in its most stringent form. March 26—1 am in receipt of your letter of the 21th instant, stating Mr Moore had bought Horniman’s sheep. Ascertain the date Horniman started with his sheep from the Waikari. Also when Moore’s sheep mixed with his flock, and all information that would tend to prove knowledge on his part. Horniman’s case must be traced out. March 21 —Maurice Jones purchased 112 sheeep on the 17th. Had been running with some of Horniman’s for three weeks at Lodge’s farm. Look them up at once. March 27—Give M. Jones an order to clean. He must dipj Revell’s sheep having been driven with Jones’s are scabby. Have seen Revell. If correct 700 sheep in a thirty-acre paddock. I will sanction their removal under your supervision to a sheep proof enclosure of sufficient size to feed the sheep for three months after being branded S. April I—Horniman’s admission to you that he had known Moore’s rams to swim the Waikari Creek on to his land is sufficient proof of where the disease came from and his knowledge of it. It fully confirms everything expressed in my memo of the 31st ult., and bears out the opinion I had formed of Horniman and everything connected with the case. Moore would never have bought the sheep if Horniman had not a clear case against him. From Horniman’s statement with reference to the mix with Bowie’s sheep, the scab complication is on the increase. I was not aware that he]had brought on with him fortytwo of Bowie’s sheep, or that they had eventually been sold in the yards. On the 10th March Ford and Co. sold at the yards on account of sale yards forty-five sheep to Rountree. If these are Bowie’s, they had been in the sale yards’ paddock for a fortnight. April s—The sheep sold in the yards on the 10th by Ford and Co. must have been Bowie’s, for nearly all of them were branded B. J., Bowie’s brand. (Extract from Mr Scarvell’s Letter of the sth April.) I saw Bowie; the sheep that mixed with Horniman’s on the road were his, but in Hinge’s care. They were a small lot of merino ewes which he had culled from his flock. There are only about fifty of them left, which will be killed to-morrow. They have been kept entirely by themselves on the Maori Run, and the paddock they are in will be ploughed up,