Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. SATURDAY, APRIL 29, 1871.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 17, Issue 1004, 29 April 1871, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. SATURDAY, APRIL 29, 1871.

Legislation for the eradication and future prevention of diseases peculiar to sheep seems to be an actual necessity. Up to the present time the question has been dealt with by the several Provincial Councils, but although a vast deal of attention has been paid to it) and Acts almost innumerable parsed bearing on the subject, scab, catarrh and foot rot btill prevail to a great extent. Whether this question is one that would be better dealt with by the General Legislature than by the Provincial Government is a question open to discussion, and one on which, doubtless, much may be said on both sides. On the one hand it is certainly inconvenient for different laws to be in force in parts of a district divided by only imaginary lines or loosely defined boundaries ; and on the other it must be admitted that circumstances vary in different parts of the Colony, so that laws perfectly applicable and satisfactory in one district may be very unsuitable and even oppi essive in another. We have every reason to believe that the question will be taken up by our own Provincial Council during its present session ; and if experience may be relied on to teach wisdom, we may be justified if we look for a measure of a more satisfactory character than has hitherto appeared. This Province has from its first settlement been occupied with sheep, and its Councils have from the first indication of ihe necessity of the measure, experimentally legislated on it; we are sorry to say without, as yet, any effectual prevention of the introduction and spiead of contagious diseases amongst the flocks. Its experience of previous failures will aid it in future attempts in the same direction, and as several of the gentlemen holding seats in the Council are such has have their attention of necessity directed to the preservation of their flocks from the attacks of disease, an amount of kuowledge and skill will be brought to bear on the subject greater than has been the case hitherto.

But there is good reason to believe that the General Assembly will also take up the consideration of the question with a view to legislation. In fact there is already before the public a draft bill which it is proposed shall be passed by the next Assembly " For the prevention of contagious diseases in fheep," and it appears probable that auy provincial legislation on the matter will be just so much labor in vain—the very first effect of this bill being to repeal all former provincial acts on the subject. The Bill it-elf is the result of the labors of a select committee of the Legislative Council, which consisted principally of largo sheep owners, and as such it ought to be as near perfection as such a measure could be.

Our limits to-day prevent our giving an abstract of the Bill, wjiich, however, we intend to do on an. early occasion, as it is of importance that the whole subject should be submitted to public examination and discussion before it assumes its final diape in the House.