Getting Rid of Scab.

Patea Mail, 4 February 1882, Page 3

Getting Rid of Scab.

One result of the conference held at the Farmers’ Club on Thursday evening will he seen in a change of the mode of inspection on the Coast, Wc are able to say that much, and more may follow. The Premier, as head of the department, is understood to be determined that the scab nuisance shall be eradicated from this Coast—Wanganui and Patea districts in particular—by such measures as will effect the object in the quickest manner. It is also evident to those who know Mr Bailey privately that he is satisfied of the necessity of vigorous action. He has been scouring round to see for himself, and having formed a strong opinion, be may be expected to act on it promptly.

Continuing our report of the farmers’ conference with Mr Bailey as Inspector Genera!, Mr W. Wilson said : There is nothing in the Sheep Act that prevents an owner from driving within bis own district. Mr Bailey rend from the Act showing that an owner on either side of a road can stop a driver and demand the clean certificate or permit to drive. Mr Wilson : There is nothing in the Act requiring you to carry a certificate within your own district. Mr Bailey : Although not stated, it is intended that you should carry it. Mr Jacob : Suppose you have a clean certificate, can the inspector refuse you a travelling permit ? Mr Bailey : It is in his power to refuse it, if he has any cause to suspect the condition of your flock. Mr E. Symes : If an inspector gives you a clean certificate, and your sheep are really scabby at the time, you have no hold on him whatever, as far as I can see. Mr Bailey : The inspector’s actions are open to inquiry, and having committed any gross act of neglect he would have to sillier for it. Mr E. Symes : I can prove differently from that. He related his own experience. Mr Bailey : Is there any proof that the sheep on the farm you mentioned are scabby ? Mr Symes : They are declared scabby at present. Directly there was some word of the other inspector coming from Wanganui, they were declared scabby at at once.

Mr Powdrell : I consider I have been more unfortunate even than Mr Symes, for my flock have been condemned twice, and there is no scab near them. They' were lousy, but not scabby'. I put them once through Cooper’s dip, but the inspector said Cooper’s dip was no good for scab. About fifteen weeks afterwards he came and gave me a clean certificate. We all know that if the sheep had been scabby’ for six weeks, they' could not have been cured by running once through Cooper’s dip. About six week’s ago, a sheep belonging to Mr Hawken, my neighbour, managed to get through the fence. I caught the sheep at once, and tied it up. I informed the inspector, and he sent a telegram to Gerse asking what he should do. Gerse said, “ Declare Powdrell’s sheep infected at once.” Mackenzie said “ I know that a portion of Mr Hawken’s flock are perfectly clean.” He also examined the sheep that had trespassed, and said it was perfectly clean. He also examined my flock, and said 11 There is no scab.” He examined Mr Hawken’s flock near the fence where this one broke through, and said they were also clean. He said, “ You see what my instructions are. If I could use my' own discretion I should take no further notice ; but I have to carry out my instructions.” Mr Bailey : If a sheep belonging to an infected flock breaks through and infects another flock, the inspector has no option whatever.

Mr Powdrell said inspectors should not go about in woollen clothes, handling one infected flock, and then conveying Infection to clean flocks. They should bo dressed in oilskin, (Laughter.) Mr Bailey : No sensibe inspector would go from a diseased flock to a clean flock and handle sheep in the same clothes. Mr Powdrell : The inspector sends word that he will be at a certain farm tomorrow. If the fanner wants to be smart, why can’t be huddle away any suspicious sheep in his flock, and so deceive the inspector ? It would be better if settlers were made their own inspectors, and impose a heavy penalty on any

Sul tier who knowingly sells scabby shsep. Mr Bailey ; There is already a heavy penalty for that, if you can prove it. A sheep fanner has quite the means to hoodwink the smartest inspector, and at the same time the same sheep may break out in three months, when 11 1 ey have been sold and scattered among other flocks. Mr E. Symes : If an inspector were a smart active man, would he not be about early in the morning, riding over ihe runs, instead of going along the road in a buggy ? Mr Bailey : It is utterly outside an inspector’s duty to give notice that he is coming. He can give notice to muster your sheep ; but if ho suspects that anything is wrong, he should not give yon notice that he is coming on a certain day. Mr Palmer : If an inspector is a smart active man, should he not bo there to see the sheep mustered ? Mr Bailey : The inspector should see them being brought in if possible, and should count them if necessary. Mr Palmer : The inspectors in this district never do that. Mr Hamilton; There is not the slightest doubt that Wanganui is the fountain-head of scab in this district. You see that six or seven clean flocks have got the scab from Wanganui. Mr Bailey : Not only clean flocks, but clean country that had never had the scab. Mr Hamilton : Can you promise, or will the Government do anything, to eradicate this thing from Wanganui as the source of infection ? A man in Wanganui, on No. 2 Line, says scab was there 20 years ago, and is there yet. A hundred sheep from such a quarter may get drafted into fifty different lots by being sold in an auction yard, and so the infection is distributed broadcast. Mr Bailey : If any gentleman can give me any positive informalirn on this affair, I can act on that. I cannot take steps on mere hearsay and gossip ; it must be on definite information, such as would justify decisive action. Charges against Government officers have to be put in a definite form —in writing or in the form of direct evidence. In the Wanganui case wo have certain evidence, and can trace the thing back. I am also gathering hints from what you tell me now ; but any charge against an officer should, as I say, bo put in a definite form. Mr Powdrell : It is unsatisfactory that our inspector should be under instructions from Wanganui, taking orders from an inspector who never comes here to inspect the sheep.

Mr Bailey : I shall take care to forward the information where it will be attended to. I have been sent up to obtain this information, and also to see if I can obtain a better state of things. It is hard to account for this case occurring, supposing proper inspection to be exercised. I certainly say that some of those sheep have been diseased more than three months. There was one sheep, to my certain knowledge, with a patch of scab on it as hard as a board, and as big as this paper (holding up the Mail folded to one-fourth of a page). I have also heard that somebody said in the saleyard that the buyer would get something more than the sheep. Whoever that gentleman was, he did not act rightly to himself or to the public at large. Mr E. Symes : If a man said anything like that openly, he would be hounded out of the sale-yard. Mr Bailey : I consider it was the man’s business and his public duty to say so, if he knew it. Mr C. Symes: Those sheep were supposed to have passed two experts, and farmers are not supposed to be experts. Mr Young : If Mr Jackson’s attention had been drawn to those sheep as being scabby, I am certain he would have stopped their sale. Mr Hamilton : Mr Jackson told me that ho would have put every sheep through the pot straight, if he had known their condition. He offered to further our enquiiy. Mr Hawken ; Is it not in the province of the Government to carry this matter home to the parties who sold the sheep ? Mr Bailey': I cannot answer that. I am only a servant of the Government, Mr Hawken : Is there not a provision that an inspector shall prosecute any one who knowingly sells diseased sheep ? It would be a benefit to the public if Government would take this case up and prosecute. Mr Bailey : One man concerned in this matter has made an affidavit that scab has never been on his place before this case was discovered. At the same time,

scab has since been found among sheep on his place with the same ear-mark. He admits that scab has been near him.

Mr Barker : Do yon not consider that the condition of the sheep which you saw was sufficient indication that scab must have been there some time, and that this would be sufficient evidence for the Government to work on in prosecuting ? Mr Bailey : I would rather not answer that question at present. The President suggested that a committee of those who had chiefly suffered should have a private interview with Mr Bailey, and give him definite information which could be acted cn. He suggested the names of Messrs Symes, Powdrell, Hawken, and Hamilton. Mr Hamilton said : Mr Bailey can see, from this gross case, that his subordinates have misconducted themselves ; and why should we he asked to give information when he has got it ? The conversation was continued at some length, no committee being appointed, Mr Bailey, referring to the sale of infected sheep, quoted clause 34 of the Act showing that infected sheep in pounds or in public yards may he destroyed. He said : That clause places the auctioneer in a tight position, for not only can the infected sheep in his yard be destroyed, but also any other sheep having the same earmark. All other sheep in his yard can also he branded with letter S. A vote of thanks was accorded to Mr Bailey, on the motion of Mr Barker, seconded by Mr Tuplin. Mr Bailey said : I know the Government are most anxious to stamp this out, and I think you will find that your wishes will be attended to.