FOOT & MOUTH DISEASE

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4797, 9 January 1925, Page 3

FOOT & MOUTH DISEASE

RAVAGES IN CALIFORNIA. NEED FOR WATCHFULNESS. That New Zealand farmers have good reason to be- thankful for the?.r present freedom from serious and contagious stock disease is evidenced by the news of serious outbreaks t.f foot and mouth disease amongst the dairy herds of both the United States and Great Britain, recorded by the returned members of th Overseas Delegation of the Dairy Produce Export Control Board, who returned to Auckland by the Marama this week.

In an interview Mr ,W. Claude Motion, chairman of directors of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Co., Ltd., stated that the attention of the delegation was first attracted to the outbreak in California Dy inquiries at Honolulu for extra supplies of New Zealand butter, as exports from San Francisco were prohibited. Up to that time no news of the outbreak had been published outside the United States. As it was impossible to procure satisfactory information of the extent of the outbreak in either Honolulu or Vancouver, and as the delegation recognised the seriousness to the New Zealand dairy industry of any introduction of the disease to this country, the members decided to personally visit California, in the meantime warning the New Zealand Government and the Control Board by cable of the outbreak. As a result of these warnings certain imports of agricultural products from the Pacific Coast were prohibited in an effort to safeguard the industry. In passing from Vancouver south the mission invited to a luncheon, at which, fortunately enough, they heard Dr. Humphreys, of Oregon, report upon his investigation of the disease on behalf of the State o£ Oregon. He outlined the seriousness of the outbreak, to prevent the spreading o£ which even motor-cars, on crossing the boundary, were driven through a dip, and all passengers had to walk through disinfectants. In San Francisco it was found that up to that time 25,000 cows had been destroyed, many being highclass pedigree animals. The outbreak first occurred in the southern part of

the State, but spread northwards rapidly. The cause was thought to have been some garbage or refuse from an Oriental trader which was fed to some pigs, as the disease first appeared among these pigs, and rapidly spread. Before leaving New York the mission heard that 75.000 cows had been slaughtered, and the disease was not even then eradicated. One of the Government officials had admitted that he was afraid they had not taken the disease seriously enough from the outset.

Again, in Britain It was found that tho dread disease was in existence, and stringent regulations were in force in every infected area. These regulations affected the attendance of many high-class exhibits at the Royal Show at Leicester. The worst districts were Cheshire and the southern counties, and in the effort to check the spread of the infection hunting was abandoned for the season. Extreme care, said Mr Motion, should be exercised by New Zealand to maintain this country’s freedom from malignant stock disease, because that constituted one of the country’s great assets. Ruination would face dairy producers ouce an outbreak occurred. and the Government should be congratulated on the strict measures taken recently. If tLe suggestions as to the origin of the outbreak were correct, it might also be wise for the New Zealand authorities fo consider the advisability o£ strictly enforcing that no garbage, refuse, or packing from any Oriental trader, when in port, be allowed in the Dominion.