REMOVAL OF THE SHEEP INSPECTOR.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 36, 30 December 1879, Page 2

REMOVAL OF THE SHEEP INSPECTOR.

We understand the Government have revoked the Appointment of Mr ; [Walter Simpson as one of the Sheep jjfcrepectors for the Rangitikei SubRRivision, and have ordered that gen- ' tleman to hand over the whole of the books and records connected with his office to Mr E. K. Simpson, of ( Marton, who will in future perform \ the duties in the Raugitikei Subdi- [ I vision, comprising tbe County of ;

Rangitikei and so much of the Manawatu County as is north of the Manawatu River. Mr Walter Simpson is in future to take charge of the Port of Wellington, holding a similar position there to that he held in ManaI watu. Whilst congratulating him on his promotion, we cannot help thinking the new arrangement will preßß rather heavily on sheepowners, especially those who are likely to ship from the port of FoxtOn. 'tlie requirements of sections 35, 36, and 37 of " The Sheep Act, 1878," are very severe. They deal with the introduction of sheep hy sea. Section 35 provides far tile infliction of a penalty of £100 upon any person who shall himself or by means of an agent or servant, iand any t sheep tfhatevei* unless they shall within ten days previously have been inspected by an Inspector, and a clean certificate granted. Before this clean certificate can be given by the Inspector, a .declaration must be made by one of the persons interested, supported by evidence, to the effect that the sheep are perfectly clean and have not mixed with an infected flock for three months, preceding. Section 37 provides that any master, owner, or supercargo of a vessel who permits sheep to be removed from the vessel before the clean certificate mentioned above has been given, shall be liable to a penalty of £100. These sections cleaily point to the necessity of an Inspector being placed at or near all ports from which sheep are shipped, as, without a certificate from the Manawatu Inspector, the officer at Wellington would certainly not peimit them to be landed. It is at this point the new arrangement will prove inconvenient. The Rangitikei Inspector resides some 54 miles from the Manawatu port, and it would be manifestly absurd to expect him to travel that distance in order to grant a clean certificate to a couple of hundred sheep ; besides which there is the fact that his district embraces the whole Rangitikei County, and that at present some 20 or 30 flocks in the neighbouring district are infected, necessitating constant watchfulness on his part. The number of flocks in Manawatu at present fully entitle it to a Resident Inspector, and we trust the matter will be represented at headquarters by the sheepowners of the district.