Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. TUESDAY, MAY 2, 1871.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 17, Issue 1006, 2 May 1871, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. TUESDAY, MAY 2, 1871.

Heverting to the; subject of our last article, we proceed to give in as brief y form as possible, consistent with perspicuity, an abstract of the leading pro' visions of the proposed Act of the Ge : neval Assembly relating to the protec tion of sheep from contagions diseases ; and, first, we observe, that all Provincial ordinances are repealed by it, ?o that aDy Act that may'be passed, bearing on the subject, by our Provincial Council during its present session will not be allowed to coine into operation. The Governor is to divide the Colony into districts, and appoint a day upon which the -heep-owners who are to be rate-payers under the Act of each dis< trict shall meet for the pin pose of electing directors for their district. Should the sheep owners fail to ap point directors, the Goverrior is empowered r.o do so. The directors are to appoint a paid inspector subject to the Governor's approval.

Every sheep-owner to give a return of Ins sheep over six months old on the first clay of January of eaeli year, and the chairman of directors to transmit to the Government a return of the total number of sheep in the district ; where upon the Governor shall fix the rate to be levied for that year—rates to be paid over to the Colonial Treasurer to " The Sheep Fund Account," Every sheep over six months old to be branded on the wool, and also to be ear-marked, under a penalty of £2O for any number less than 400, and an additional 6d per head for every unbranded sheep over 400 in number. The Governor to appoint registrars ol brands where such are not already appointed. Sheep-owners to register their brands by a certain date under a penalty of £5, and an additional £b per week for neglecting to register them after the first conviction.

Penalty for using a brand similar to one already registered, .£2O.

A list of brands to be published in the Provincial Gazette.

Penalty for branding other persons' sheep without consent, or defacing brand on any such, or cutting off more than half of ear, XJOO. Registered brand to be evidence of ownership of sheep. Inspector to keep a register of the total number of sheep in the distiict, and the number registered by each separate owner, with their respective brands; the register book to be open for inspection on a fee of Is.

Inspector to collect amount of rates ; to visit each run at least once a year, and report to chairman of directors on sta f e of flocks ; to take all needful measures for preventing the importation of diseased sheep; to G.ause all such, whether imported or not, to be branded with 8. ; and to cause all imported sheep to be perfectly isolated in a close paddock from contact with other sheep. Inspector to have free ingress and egress through and over any lands at any time for ihe purpose of inspecting sheep ; the penalty for obstructing such inspection, XIOO. If the Inspector is not able to decide on the condition of sheep, he may require the owner to sign a declaration; the penalty for refusing, j£so, and for making a false declaration, ,£IOO and imprisonment for six months. Penalty for the Inspector accepting a bribe, from £SO to £I OO and'six monihs' imprisonment. -

Penalty lor Inspector giving a false certificate, £SO to £IOO.

Owner of infected sheep to give notice to adjoining sheep-owners within forty-eight liours of his Having reasonable grounds for belief, and to the inpector within six days of the same, under a penalty of .£SO, and <£lo for each day and week respectively. Penalty for having infected bheep, 5s for each sheep. The payment of this penalty may be suspended by the convicting justices for six months, and remitted if within that time the sheep are certified as clean ; otherwise it is to be enforced ; and if the owner does not appear to be making reasonable exertions to clean the sheep during that time, the penalty to be enforced. A further suspension of four months may be allowed if exceptional circumstances can be shown to have rendered the due cleansing beyond the power of the owner. A second conviction may follow six: months after the first, or even earlier, if reasonable exertions for cleansing be not made. The inspector may order infected sheep to be confined and prevented from coming in contact, with neighboring flocks. Infected sheep to be branded S four inches long, by the owner, under a penalty of 5s for each sheep. Penalty for allowing infected sheep within halfa-mile of any boundary of run, other than sheep-proof fence or natural boundary, 5s for. each sheep; and for wilfully abandoning infected «heep on a public road or on land not in his own occupation, ,£'so.. and six months' imprisonment. Such sheep may be seized and destroyed by the Inspector without warrant. No sheep to be landed from sea without the inspector's permission. No sheep to be shipped without the same. Penally for refusing to give evidence regarding sheep, £2O ; for false statement, .£IOO and six months' imprisonment ; for driving or suffering infected sheep to stray along a public road or on land not the property of the owner, £IOO. Separate informations may be laid by evevy occupier of lands over which such sheep have been. Any person may examine sheep trespassing on land in his occupation or on. a public road. Penalty for obstructing such examination, £SO.

Penalty for driving sheep across occupied land without gi'-'ing noiice to the owner, Is for each sheep. Infected sheep trespassing may be destroyed fotry eight hours after notice given to the owner. Owners of sheep dying from scab to bury or consume carcase by fire, under a penalty of from 10s to .£lO foi each. Sheep-owners must muster for deli very of stray sheep within two month s of notice gi' en under the hand of a Justice of the Peace, under a penalty of £•2O, unless the certificate of the inspector be produced that the sheep are not in a position to be moved. For removing sheep from land in the occupation of other per.-ons without consent, a penalty of £2O. For mustering without giving notice to all other sheep-owners, .£2O, Wilfully communicating scab shall be treated as a misdemeanor.

For any breach of the Act where no specific penalty is named, a penalty of ,£2O ; but no penalty imposed under any one conviction is to exceed .£SOO. From the fact of the committee being composed of some of the greatest and most experienced sheepowners in the Oolony, the bill, as the results of their labors, might reasonably be expected to approach as near perfection as possible ; but for our own part we fail to see in

it much beyond an engine for raising money. Little appears applicable to the pretention or cure of diseased sheep, beyond fining to a ruinous ex tent the unfortunate possesoi of the animals. We tiust that our numerous readers who have experience in the matter, will well ventilate it through the press before it is brought before the legislature.