Correspondence.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VI, Issue 413, 18 October 1856, Page 7

Correspondence.

THE SCAB ORDINANCE. ToUie Editor of the " Tn/ttelton Times" Sib,—On reading the letter about the Scab Ordinance, signed " Pair Play," which appeared in your paper a short time ago, it occurs to me that the writer has omitted to point out one circumstance which shows in a very strong light the unjust severity of a penalty for owning scabby sheep. It may sound very well in theory for Government to make a man guarantee to clean his sheep within four months; but will the Government guarantee his finding within the province the materials necessary to accomplish this desirable object ? Rhe clause in question was taken from an Australian Act. In Australia, if a man goes to Sydney or Melbourne to buy tanks,tobacco, sulphur, or whatever he wants to clean his sheep, he has as strong a certainty of getting them as though he were in London itself. When a Canterbury man travels to Lyttelton for what he wants, he does so with the disagreeable probability staring him in the face that he may have to send to Sydney for the things ; —that he may have to wait a month for a vessel to Sydney;—that, in short, he may see his whole four months of grace expire before the means whereby to meet his guarantee have oven arrived at the port of the district.—And yet the magistrates have no discretion allowed them by the ordinance, under any circumstances ! J. M.

To the Editor of the " Lyttelton Times." Sic,—l have just seen a letter signed " Fair play" in your paper of the 24th ult., and conclude that his sheep have the scab, and that he was the writer of the letter signed " Squatter', which he complains was not attended to. He need not trouble himself to write on the subject, for the majority take the same view as the undersigned, and will have no alteration in the law until they are in the same position as " Fair Play." Your obedient servant, NuMßjJii One.