MEETING OF NORTHERN SHEEPOWNERS.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1773, 25 October 1879, Page 3

MEETING OF NORTHERN SHEEPOWNERS.

A meeting of sheepowners in the North Canterbury nnd Amuri districts was held on Oct. 20th, at Rotherham, to discuss the recent alterations in the Sheep Act, and to suggest to the Government the advisability of annulling the recent notice announcing the suspension of certain clauses of the Sheep Act in the subdivision of Amuri, of fencing a portion of the boundary on the Waiau River, and altering the boundary of the Waiau Sheep district, so as to secure a better boundary. Mr G. W. Mcßae was in the chair. The Chairman read letters from Messrs Rutherford, W. H. Mein, and John Hall, with reference to the subject before the meeting. It was proposed by Mr W. O. Rutherford, and seconded by Mr Jaß. Macfarlane —" That .the present boundaries given in the Government ' Gazette ' of the 24th September have given great dissatisfaction, and it is generally thought that a nearer line to the infected run should be taken as the boundary of the scab district south of tho Waiau." The following amendment, proposed by Mr J. H. Davison, and seconded by Mr Monkhouse, was carried —"That if the boundary be altered, it be taken at the fence dividing the country occupied by Culverden and Montrose, as far as the Pahau; thence down the Pahau to the] boundary fence between Culverden and Balmoral as far as a fence near the Willows on the Balmoral run, along tho said fenee to the Burunui fence." It was proposed by Mr John Macfarlane, and seconded by Mr Monkhouse—" That this meeting considers it advisable to petition the Government to reconsider their decision in suspending clauses 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, of

the Sheep Act, 1878, in the subdivision of Amuri. That as long as theee clauses in the Act remain suspended there would be danger of the disease spreading to the clean runs in the Canterbury district." An amendment, proposed by J. H. Davison and seconded by A. Earahman, was carried, as follows—" That in the opinion of this meeting the Sheep Act, 1878, is vexatious and unjust to those who, owning clean sheep, are in the neighbornood of scabby runs, and as the legislation of the last fourteen years has proved ineffectual in stamping out scab, it is desirable that owners of clean sheep on adjoining country should no longer be subjected to the disabilities imposed by the Act. That the Sheep Act, 1878, be repealed in toto: that a short Act providing for the inspection of travelling sheep, with a penalty for traveiling infected sheep, and a clause compelling all sheep owners to use a registered wool brand, would meet all requirements." Proposed by Mr James Macfurlano, and seconded by Mr E, Jones—" That the Government be petitioned to oxpend the balance of the sheep rate to prevent the spread of scab, a 3 recommended by the inspector of the district." A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the meeting.

The following petition was prepared and duly signed : To the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. We, the undersigned owners of the sheep set against our respective names, seeing that a " Gazotts," published on September 21th, 1879, notifies the suspension of clauses 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, and 29 of the Sheep Act from operation till 31st December, 1880, desire to point oat that such suspension is calculated to entirely stultify the oljccts of the Act in checking the spread of scab of Canterbury, Amuri, and Marlborough. We also desire to point out that having, at great expense to ourselves, eradicated the diseaso from our flocks, and far some years past kept them clean at continued expense, wo (Item it to bo unfair for our district to be proclaimed an infected one, thus debarring us from removing our sheep to the Canterbury markets : and, further, that though a portion of the district south of the Waiau is not proclaimed infected, we are also debarred from driving sheep to the Canterbury markets in consequenco of the outlet being through a portion of tho district which is proclaimed infected. We would also beg to refer you to Sheep Inspector Foster's report and recommendation of a plan to prevent the spread of scab across the river Waiau, and would respectfully urge that the residue of the Sheep rate should be applied in carrying out his recommendation. (Signed) E. Jones, G. W. McEae, J. McFaklane, And others.