VETERINARY CLUB

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4826, 25 March 1925, Page 2

VETERINARY CLUB

MEETING OF PLAINS BODY. The monthly meeting of the. executive of the Farmers’ Veterinary Club was held at Ngate.a on Monday afternoon, Mr C. H. Waite presiding over Messis J. Darlington, A. J. Andrews, R, Burke, G, T, Davidson, C. W. Schultz, and C. A. Gibson (secretary). FINANCE. Considerable discussion took place on the amount of outstanding accounts for subscriptions and medicine. The secretary reported that several of tiie worst offenders? who had been threatened with legal action had paid or made arrangements to pay, and it was decided that those .who had ignored tiie warning be prosecuted immediately. It was further decided that tiie secretary press for payment of all outstanding accounts within seven days, and that legal action be taken at the end of that time. STOCK SALE. Mr A. J. Andrews reported having interviewed an official of the Asricultural Department in regard th the proposal to have the Hauraki Plains created a stock area. This official had expressed the opinion that while it was practically impossible to get a man with sufficient qualifications io act as a veterinary surgeon and conduct soil experiments and analysis, it was probable that a! man with either one or the other qualification could be found by the department if sufficient pressure was exerted. The opinion was expressed that it would pay the department to replace the stock inspector with a veterinary surgeon. He could carry out the inspector’s duties and work to prevent stock becoming diseased. Other membens advocated pressing for a soil tester and the opening up of the peat experimental station. During the discussion it was pointed out that it was of little use farmers learning what manures to use, as until farms were better drained fertilisers would be of little benefit. When the water was got but of the soil diseases would disappear.

Several members quoted instances that had come under their notice of the benefits of intensive draining. A member expressed the opinion that tiie Lands Department should not be criticised so much for its actions. The department had drains cleaned and settlers permitted pigs to root the banks in or stock to trample near the edge and cause slips. In such cases the department was justified it. not having the drains cleaned again except that other settlers were affected. It would be well for the various orgnaisations in the district to take up the matter, bring the responsibility of the settlers before them, and make them ashamed of blocked drains along their frontages or through their lands. Until settlers realised their obligations to themselves and to their neighbours and acted accordingly of their own free will there would always be trouble, and until the land was properly drained there would always be sickness in cattle. • ’

Coming back to the question of the constitution of a stock area, it was mentioned that the officer in charge at Auckland of the Agricultural Department had promised to visit the district during the autumn .and give another lecture. It was therefore decided that he be asked to fulfil his promise, and that on his visit the club ascertain his views on the question.