PARLIAMENTARY.

Patea Mail, Volume V, Issue 465, 8 October 1879, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. ' Wellington, October 7. Petitions were presented by Newman against the elections o£ Dr Wallis and Hirst for Auckland City West ; also, by Richardson, against Grey’s election for Christchurch. On the 17th instant the House will appoint a delect Committee to enquire into the allegation against the above elections. Alter the presentation of Address to. Governor, during which the House adjourned, Sir George Grey said he and his colleagues had placed their resignations in the hands of the Governor, who accepted them, but had requested that they should coutinuc in office until their successors were appointed. They ony occupied that position until a new Ministry was fonned. Mr Hall stated that he had been sent for by t.'ie Goveruor, and had undertaken to form a Ministry, and was now engaged in that work. He had intended to ask for an adjournment till Thursda}', but was informed by the Premier that Supplies were absolutely necessary at the earliest possible (late. He would therefore only for an adjournment till the next day, grant supplies, and an adjournment Afterwards till Thursday, when he would bo in a position to announce that a Government had been formed which Would command the confidence of the House. The House then adjourned till 2.30 tomorrow.

SCAB IN SHEEP. It has been said that the insects shortly after death moulder into dust, and cannot be found. This is not tbe case, for dead insects have been found in the pelt of a diseased sheep, more than two months after it was taken off; but to find tliern in this way die skin must not Le shaken or knocked about. Dead insects can also he detected on a badly affected sheep, shortly after dressing. In the caseofa living sheep, however, it would, seem that not only are huge lumbers of the acari, as they die, washed off in the dip' but they are also shaken out of the* lletfcc after it is dry, by tbe motion of the «lieep, as after death .they they,can.’.possess no holding power. • •

Habits and Nature.—Where the aoari effect it lodgement on a sound sheep, t e.r procedure is thus lucidly sketch*. U by M. Walz: “If one or more female aca;i are placed ou the woo! of a sound sheep, they quickly travel to the root of it and bury themselves in the skin, the plac< s at which they penetrated being only dis-tinguishable-by minute red spots, about the size of a point of a pin. About the sixteenth day the mothers again appear, with their little ones attached to their feet, and covered with a portion of the shell from which they have emerged. These little ones immediaiely set to work and penetrate the neighbouring skin, burying themselves beneath it, where th'.y find their proper nourishment, and grow and propagate, until the poor animal has myriads of them to prey on and torment it, every litter of parasites comprising from eight to fifteen little ones ; and it is not wonderful that the sheep should sink and die.” “ Some male acari the same author states, “ were placed on the skin of a sound sheep, were they, too, burrowed and disappeared for a time, and the pustules duly arose ; but the itching and scab soon disappeared without the employment of any remedy.” Kuehonnseistea, on parasites, says that the acari “ bore passages beneath the epidermis, from which the little hexapod brood, which grows quickly and soon becomes octopod, issues in about eleven to sixteen days.” He adds that “ Hertaugs’ experiments in inoculation (transferring the sheep acari to other animals) gave no result,” and it is now a well ascertained fact that the scab parasite or. mite peculiar to one class of animals, will not propagate on another. The acari attack all sheep whether they be fat or lean ; and although they almost invariably orginate the disease in the sheep with which they come in contact, they arc far more certain to do so, and to thrive and propagate in a poor miserable sheep than in one in good condition and in very robust health. The circumstances most favourable to the existence and increase of the acari, are moderately warm and moist weather, a fall fleece, and a low condition of the sheep; and if n low swampy run be added, with crowded dirty yards, and heaps of old dung, its development and spread will bo most rapid and destructive. Sheep in crowded yards, are in a position where the acari can pass readily from ona sheep to another; and unless in the height of winter, the acari are more active in the evening and at night than during the day. (To bo continued.)