RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 63, 16 June 1863, Page 3

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

(Before M. Price, Esq., It. M.) Wednesday, 10th June. SCABBY SHEEP. This was an action brought by Mr Fielder, Inspector of Sheop, against Mr Freeman Jackson, for having in his possession sheep infecterl with the scab. The information was laid under the 17th section of the " Sheep Ordinance, 1862. " The Provincial Solictor appeared for the plaintiff and Mr South for the defendant. Defendant pleaded Not Guilty. H. G. Fielder, Inspector of Sheep, deposed : Defendant is a sheep owner. .Received the letter produced (dated 15th May), from Mr Jackson, about 28th May last. Started for defendant's station, an.l went to where defendant was dressing sheep on 3rd June. He -was dressing the sheep a second time. He told me so. Examined a lot of sheep in the yard before they were dipped Distinctly saw fhat thoy had recently been infected. Told defendant I was quite sure that the sheep were not cured. The rest of the flock ■was away from the yard. Went to them. Remained an hour and examined them. Watched one in particular for some time. Caught it and examined it, and distinctJ y swear it was scabbj r . Cross-examined by Mr South: Previous to catching it, observed the sheep gnawing itself on the shoulder. About the centre of the shoulder. The sheep was not pawing itself on the shoulder with its foot. Exthe sheep with a microscope. Saw skin perfectly green ; wool removed. The sheep had been infected by ship fever. Positively saw the green spot of scab. Did not see the insect. The spot could not have arisen from ship fever. In my opinion it is , not necessary to see the insect to detect j Bcab. Scab is brought on by overfeeding. Scab is an irruption of the skin. The skin assumes a peculiar form. If the disease has come to a head, there are acari or insects. Am 1 - not aware of any other disease so like scab as to deceive a person as to the disease, i There may be things a little like scab, but if you once see the spots of scab, there is no mistaking it for any other. The spot I «aw was swollen up a little. In scab the insect is under the skin before the disease is j developed. You do not always find the in- j sect unless you look for it. The instrument I you may be looking with may not be strong i enongh. Did not look for the insect. Did not want to find the insect to say it was j scab. The sheep had been previously dipped. Scab shows itself 14. 16, or 21 days after taken, the time is uncertain. Told Mr Jackson if he doubted it being scabby, he might tie it up and examine it. He disputed that the sheep was scabby. Saw a Mr Martin j on the 4th June. Do not remember saying j to him I had not seen the insect on the sheep. Might have said so. Should not consider sheep clean that had dead acari on the skin ; the egg might not be killed. The sheep I saw I examined carefully, and I could see from the working under the skin that the disease had not been destroyed, and that the insect was at work under the skin. Did not exactly see the insect at work under the skin. Could not see through the skin. It does not require the disease to be all over the sheep to show that it is diseased. Did not examine under the skin of that sheep. Saw sufficient in other sheep to prove that they were infected. It is not requisite to lift the fistula out to see the insect or egg, to be able to say a sheep has scab. Spoke from practical experience, not from books, as books lead one astray. Have read works upon diseases in sheep. There is a difference in the disease in this colony and in the home country. Washing sheep will kill the acari that are out on the skin. It is possible to cure sheep in two washings. Never knew of my own knowledge any case of one dressing curing sheep. Did not order Mr Jackson to Htop dressing sheep. Said, if you doubt that the sheep are scabby stop dressing them and you will find that they will break out. Ec-examined by Provincial Solicitor : — No doubt in my mind that the sheep I caught was infected with scab. Defendant was dipping the sheep in tobacco to cleanse them from scab. By the Court : — Saw recent scab on the rest of the flock. The dressing deadened the disease. It may have killed most or all of the insect?, but in some cases I found the Bkin hard, and that the skin had not risen, by which I knew that the insects on those sheep had been killed. One dressing will not cure scab. It is not impossible to tell whether sheep have scab coming after being ckansed. It is difficult. The case for the prosecution having closed, Mr South applied for an adjournment. Defendant had only been served with the summons at two o'clock on Monday, and had not had time to get in his rebutting evidence fiom the country. Mr Macdonald opposed the adjournment — as instructed by Mr Fielder— not from any personal grounds, but on the ground that the inspector's public duties would prevent his attendance. The Magistrate said that he did not think that was a sufficient ground. Mr South argued that it was unusual to oppose an application for adjournment where it was shown that sufficient grounds existed, as he submitted he had done in this case. .The case was adjourned until the first day i. ( onjisiy next. Feidat, 12th June. ■' No business of importance before the Court tolay. I Satubday, June 13. I Lunatic. — Randal Kankin, brought tip on re/jnand, charged with being of unsound mind, was I committed to gaol. t

EjißEZßlMElfT.— Wiiliam Izaor, was charged with stealing^three; blankets, a: coat, and sundry .other articles, value £3.' Beuarided tot further evidence, until 20th. - ' • Mokdat, Jrirß 15 Dbunkaeds. — Michael SlLarmon ami William Smiley, were each fined 10s. for this offence. Joseph Smith, for beiug drunk and disorderly, was f n;d 20s.