The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, MAY 10, 1867.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 108, 10 May 1867, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, MAY 10, 1867.

yVE are informed by Cnptaiu Lockett, /who has just returned from a visit to Motueka, that preliminary steps have

beeu taken towards the organization of a

Rifle Cadet Corps in that district. Already 25 names have been enrolled, and if we may judge from tbe interest taken iv the proposed corps, not only by the youugsters themselves, but also by their parents, there seems every probability that the Motueka Cadets will rival the Nelson corps/ at all events in numerical strength. For some days past rumors have been in circulation in the city .to the effect that some cases of pleuro-pneumonia had taken place amongst the cattle which have lately been imported by Captain Johnston from Queensland, but they were of so very vague and undefined a character, that we judged it most prudent, to make no allusion to them. On Tuesday evening, however, a large meeting was held at Richmond, Mr. W. M'Rae, in the chair, having for its object to request his Honor the Superintendent to institute an enquiry into the circumstances and cause of the alleged disease, and a deputation consisting of Messrs. Barnicoat, M'Rae, H. Williams, and Gapper, was appointed to wait upon his Honor, to ascertain what steps he would be prepared to take in order to carry out this object. Tbe deputation would have waited on the Superintendent yesterday, but their interview has been postponed, until the report of the three Commissioners appointed by his Honor to report upon the subject, viz. : Messrs. H. Redwood, Newton, and Brock, has been received. We may add that very considerable doubt exists as to whether the disease under which the three animals selected to be kiiled and examined, at Capt. Johnston's request and expense, weie suffering, was really that known as pleuropneumonia; as several distinctive symptoms of that disease were wanting. It seems far more probable that it was simply the consequence of the change from the tropical ancl equable climate oi Queensland to that of New Zealand, at the coldest season of the year. It is also observable that the disease has hitherto been confmed to milch cows, with calves at their sides, which are, naturally, very susceptible to the consequences of change of climate and diet. However, we trust that the report of the Commissioners, which has just reached us, will tend to set at rest a question which must necessarily be of the highest interest to the community at large. Repokt. From the evidence we have heard today we have reason to hope that the disease with which the cattle examined by Mr. Newton were affected, was not the infectious Pleuropneumonia. Considering the grave nature of this momentous question we would recommend a vigilant supervision and inspection of the herd from which the cases examiued by Mr. Newton were taken. We would also suggest the advisability of obtaining from infected districts ia Australia, reports and other publications, relating to Pleuropneumonia, without loss of time. (Signed) Geo. Williams, Chairman, J. W. Baenicoat, E, J. Brock, H. Redwood, junr., Thos. Newton.