FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE.

Shannon News, 17 June 1924, Page 2

FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE.

PIIECAUTIOiMS 'BY DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. At Saturday’s meeting oi tire Horowhenua County Council thy following loiter, was received iroin the Minister oi Agriculture in reply to ;tilie Council’s recent remit regarding the advisability oi ugluenihg up the regulations governing the importation of stock into New Zealand in view Qi tlie 'existence oi ioiot and mouth disease in other countries:—“l have to acknowledge receipt oi your letter ot the 13th inst., on the subject o| loot and mouth disease and ill reply desire to assure your Gouncil tot the position in other countries with respect to this disease is being closely watched by my Department, wliicn will not hesitate to take any further action which may be considered necessary to prevent tlie introduction oi the disease into the Dominion. I may say that ithe importation of cattle lrom icounUt'] es wiliere 'toot and mouth disease is prevalent is already absolutely prohibited, whilst oil tlie (ith March last an Order4n-Coimcil was gazetted prohibiting tlie importiaiftou oil ohts, barley, maize, 'hay, straw, 'and (chaff . 'front the United States oi America and from Queensland and Western Australia, and restricting the importation of same .with the consent oi the Minister of Agriculture. So far as Australia is concerned, the embargo against Queensland and Western Australia was imposed ,on .account oi the presence of,cattle tick In the former and of rinderpest in the latter. No case ot tlie later dftsetase has, however, been reported since the middle of last December; 'nevertheless (the DepaKtr* merit,does not contemplate the reinewal oi the embargo in the meantime. As a j furthei-'special protection, regulations have been made providing lor the destruction of all hay, straw, or chaff packing accompanying goods imported into tlie Dominion from Great Britain, Ireland, or any part oi tlie Continent of Europe, oi- from the United States of America, but in the case of Great Britain it ’is provided that destruction will not be required when the goods are accompanied by a sworn certificate Or statutory declaration to the effect that the liay', straw or chaff used for, packing has been disinfected in the prescribed manner. This .declaration and. invoice* for the goods lias to be" Submitted to the High Commissioner, an officer of whose staff then issues a covering certificate. As regards the movement of hOrses '.between iSfaw Zealand aind Australia, and 'Great Britain and the 'Dominion,“l desire to point out that horses do not contract foot and .mouth disease and further that this disease does not exist in the Commonwealth; so- that there is no possibility of its introduction horn there. Whenever houses have been shipped froim England, the High Commissioner's ohivers have . made a special point of ensuring that 'all fodder and straw accompanying them is obtained from districts outside those in which foot apd mouth disease exists. As a further precaution all bedding and unused fodder is thrown overboard before the vessel enters a New Zealand port:. The above explanation will, 1 trust, remove any feeling which may exist that the Department is not fully 'alive to the great responsibility which devolves upon it of protecting the live stock interests of rhe Dominion.”

The. chairman, Cr. Monk, in moving* that, the Tetter l>e received, said i that it' was satisfactory to note that the Department oil Agriculture was taking, all possible steps ‘ to prevent what was undoubtedly one of the greatest scourges known to the stockowner. It would appear that we already had cattle-tick in New Zealand and' it was questionable if anything would prevent, its spread right through the country. Every possible (effort must be made, to prevent the addition of a further trouble in foot and mouth disease. Other councillors also spoke in the same strain and the. loiter was received.