NO LAUGHING MATTER.

Putaruru Press, Volume VII, Issue 285, 24 April 1929, Page 1

NO LAUGHING MATTER.

TICK-INFESTED CATTLE.

Farmers Speak Plainly.

The replies received by the Matamata branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union from the Chief - Veterinary Surgeon, and the Minister of Agriculture, relative to complaints made because of a mob of tick-infested cattle being allowed to come from the East Coast to the Matamata district, were not considered satisfactory when* read at a meeting held on Wednesday. The Minister of Agriculture stated that enquiries showed the cattle had been dipped at Judea before crossing the boundary, and had been • ,yed on arrival at Matamata. 'xperiments had proved that ti w’ ‘ not live more than four nay ’ dipping. With these precaution there was no risk of infection.

The reply from the Chief-Veterin-ary Surgeon was couched in similar terms. a

Mr. Rollett stated it was a pity the letter hid not been dealt with before. Much in the letter was ridiculous, and the ticks on the cattle were alive for a week. The chairman: Mr. Fitness took a dozen or fifteen ticks off and I put them in a match-box in my pocket. I forgot all about them for a week, and they were alive when I noticed the box on putting on the same coat again.

Mr. Rollett: They were taken off the stock three days after dipping, toe: so that’s eleven days. The chairman: Yes; that’s eleven days. It is a moral they had nothing to eat in a match box. (Laughter). The secretary: I told the facts to Mr. Reakes, when he was in the dis-s trict, and he said he would like more information on the subject. Mr. Rollett: It is quite all right to say the cattle were dipped; we knew that. Continuing, the speaker pointed but that the reference to spraying carried no weight. “Fancy trying to spray 18-months old steers in a yard,” he concluded. On the motion of Messrs. West and Rollett, it was decided to reply to the Minister pointing out that the ticks in question kept alive for 11 days in a match-fc'ox.

Mr. Simpson: Was it a tin box? The chairman: YesMr. Simpson: One could not live on tin. (Laughter). Mr. Simpson: Mr.. Chairman, it is no laughing matter -when our chief veterinary surgeon says ticks will only live four days’ after being sprayed. (Hear, hear). Dirt you mention the dogs and horses were infected, too ? The secretary: No. Mr. Rollett: You can’t make the letter too strong. Mr. Simpson: If the cattle were properly dipped what he says is probably true; but if the cattle are run through water, not the prouer strength, then it is no good, and that i should not get a man off. People ( who shove sheep through coloured water and then send them to the yards, the ticks are alive, are pulled up before a court. The meeting decided to incorporate these pertinent points in the reply.