SCAB IN SHEEP IN WELLINGTON.

Southland Times, Volume 1, Issue 501, 25 June 1866, Page 2

SCAB IN SHEEP IN WELLINGTON.

(From the Wellington Advertiser.) Though several cures have been effected, the number of "flocks reported as infected on the "West Coast of Wellington. Province is greater in the last return than in the preceeding one. This fact demonstrates most clearly that there is a fault somewhere in the system which is at present in use for ridding the country of this pest. The West Coast of this Province is, and must be for some years to come, essentially a sheep growing country. The method of farming at present chiefly in vogue in its settled districts, will no doubt_. spread itself gradually over the fine lands adjoining, which have so recently been added to the Provincial estate. The lands will be fenced in, ploughed up, and laid down with artificial grasses ; the sheep will be paddockfed, and quality rather than quantity will be the main desideratum. The breeding of long-wooled rams will became a regular profession, and there will be a constant interchange of blood and stock amongst the settlers. Many persons will become flock-owners who have had little or no experience in regard to scab, and for their own sakes, as well as their neighbors', measures the most stringent should be taken for the suppression of the disease. The question then arises how is this troublesome and costly disease to be rooted out ? Or rather where does the fault lie that it has not been rooted out long ago ? We venture to affirm that it is partly from ignorance or neglect on the part of flock-owners, partly from the imperfect state ol" the law under which the Inspectors act. It has been amply proved by experience that a mixture of tobaccownter of sufficient strength (say 20 lbs of tobacco to eighty gallons of water), with flower of sulphur, is a safe and certain cure in fine weather. Many persons, however, from a false economy, stint the tobacco, or from carelessness or bad judgment sulier rain to fall upon the flocks soon after they have been dressed, or do not give that ' proper attention to the matter requisite to ensure a sufficient muster of their flocks. To correct these faults, the Inspector should attend each dressing, should have power to direct the dressing to 1)3 made of such strength as he may think ft, should take care that every sheep is mustered and properly dipped, and should also have power, if rain falls within a certain time after dressing, to order the sheep to ba immediately dressed again. But, secondly, as prevention is better than cure, the most stringent measures should be taken to btop the further spread of the disease. For this end the two following rules are absolutely necessary : — First, that no person be allowed to move a single sheep without a certificate from the Inspector of the district ; secondly, that no Inspector be allowed, under pain of a heavy penalty, to grant a certificate to the owner of an infected flock, until a wfnter shall have passed after the first dressing of the sheep. These rules may appear severe, taken together, but we will answer for it that they will not be objected to except by the owners of scalhy jiochs, and they are the very persons whose objections should not be regarded. These restrictions would cut two ways. They would prevent the spread of the disease, and they would force owners of infected flocks to cure them, for otherwise they would be comparatively profitless. No doubt, they would be burdensome; but Salus populi suprema lex. It is a hard case for a man's house to be pulled down to save some one else's property, but nevertheless it is often a necessity. No doubt, a question may arise whether a person whose flock becomes infected, through uo fault of his own, might not iustlv claim some compensation from the public, or, at least, make out a very good <wse ; but such a question is not relevant here. We are arguing that there is an absolute necessity that the disease should be eradicated, and the necessary measures for that object must be enforced and carried out to their extreme limits, only stopping short of actual cruelty and torture to the animals themselves. The question of compensation to flock owners would be an after consideration. There are, doubtless, other matters of detail which we have not space to touch upon here. We are glad to see that Mr Ludlam has taken the matter up, and has given notice tkat he will move for a committee oa the subject No doubt a thorough and searching investigation will be instituted. The various Inspectors will be summoned by the Committee, if the Council give their sanction to it, which we feel sure they will not refuse to do. They will give their views on the subject, and from their experience offer many valuable suggestions. But the regulations we have mentioned above, with regard to the necessity of obtaining, and the granting of certificates, we feel quite sure are absolutely necessary, and must be strictly enforced. At any rate, it is certain that, at present, there are very grave and serious imperfections in the' law on this subject. After having watched the progress of the disease, and the working of the law on the subject for some years, we feel quite sure that the main imperfections of the present law for the suppression of scab in this province lie in* the direction to which we have pointed.