More Scab Infection.

Patea Mail, 16 March 1882, Page 3

More Scab Infection.

Four farms between the Patea and Whenuakura rivers are just declared infected, from a simple cause which might easily have been avoided, so far as we are informed of the facts.

Six ewes and one ram strayed from Major Turner’s land among Mr Patrick Burke’s sheep, and being scabby they infected the flock. Mr Burke sent for Mr Mackenzie, who being off duty at present, could be of no use. He advised that Mr Richardson be sent for, but the latter arrived at Burke’s before the message reached him. Scab was found unmistakably, and the flock was declared infected.

Major Turner had also sold three rams to Messrs Symes some weeks previously; and these being scabby, infected the ewes among which they were running. It was not supposed they were scabby until later events brought the Inspector there in consequence of rumors going about; and Mr Richardson found the rams scabby, and therefore declared the flock infected.

One wether was still missing from Turner’s, and it was found to have strayed on to land just leased by Messrs Newland from the Maoris. A flock of sheep were being put on that land, but a stray sheep being noticed among them, the Inspector was sent for and the sheep caught. Mr Richardson was in the district, trying to trace the missing ewe; and Mr G. Newland met him and informed him of a stray ewe just seen in his flock, suspecting it to be the one missing from Turner’s. The ewe was examined, and found to be scabby. The straightforwardness of Messrs Newland’s action in this matter, whem a stray sheep supposed to be infected could easily have been concealed away without outsiders being the wiser, is to be commended as a right example of what is due from farmers to each other.

If concealment be practised where it is possible, time will be no use to appeal to Government or to change the Inspectors in .a district. The remedy for infection lies mainly with farmers in their fair dealing towards each other. Major Turner’s case is peculiar. He had not been keeping sheep lately, in the sense of having a flock, and had therefore not sent a written return to Government of the number of sheep on his farm. So far as the Inspectors were aware, he was not a sheep-owner and had not been visited by any Inspector for some time. The fact that he had about a dozen sheep still running on a large farm was not likely to cause anxiety to him or his neighbors; yet the result has shown that it is in such a trifling case that danger may linger, till infection gets spread to other flocks through a deplorable want of care. If, as is said, Major Turner had been dipping these few sheep before selling the rams to Messrs Symes, he will have placed himself in a risky position, according to the Sheep Act. It may have seemed to him, on the other hand, so small a matter to dip a dozen sheep, merely as a precaution, that he did not trouble to notify the Inspector. These incidents would be unimportant if no mischief followed ; but serious mischief has followed. Three neighboring farms have had to be declared infected, not because scab is known to exist on them, but solely as a protection against the development of infection known to have been carried there. The whole affair is a severe lesson, which may be useful in leading to a better state of things.