THE CATTLE TICS.

Taihape Daily Times, 29 April 1919, Page 5

THE CATTLE TICS.

~' Sir, —I have read the Hon. W. D. S.

MacDonald's article on th e Cattle Tick, and I must- say it is anything but convincing. Several statements stand prominently out, some of which are repeated.

(1) The North Auckland cattle tick is not the Queensland tick, which has worked such devastation in Australia.

(2) It is not a new thing in New Zealand as the Department has known of it for years, and "have had it steadily under' observation;" but the Minister does not say that the Department has cleaned a single beast, or that, a single herd once infected can be cleaned.

(o) Any repressive action taken now must be in the direction of preventing possible future trouble. Docs this mean that the pest is already out of control? .

I, for one. resent such a puny, spineless, half-bearted proposal. What I would like to ask Mr MacDonald is this: If the pest had been taken resolutely in hand at first, could it have been eradicated? Nothing less than absolute and complete extermination will satisfy cattle owners of the North Island, whose vital interests are affected, let the cost be what it will. I don't think it would be necessary to create public cattle dips. It would, in my opinion, be far safer and more effective if each owner was compelled to erect cattle yards where he could race up and handle each beast in succession, and thoroughly spray and soak them with a suitable preparation. Of course, each cattle owner should be compelled to clean his herd as flockowners were compelled to cleanse their sheep of scab. I am thoroughly satisfied this could be done, the State supplying the wash free, by virture of a cattle rate. Many years ago I cleansed a small herd of mixed cattle of some parasite which they had brought out of the bush, cost and labour not given. I do not think the Department should try to lull us into a fool's paradise by telling us that this parasite docs not injure the cattle. Its action may be comparatively light, compared with that of the Queensland namesake, but if a parasite living upon its host it seems incredible that a beast can be affected with it from nose to heel, -and yet be absolutely immune from effects, and thrive and put on flesh just as well as a beast that is clean. I hope the farmers of Rangitikei will stand shoulder to shoulder for absolute and complete eradication. Hafl the Department been adamant when the pest first niad L . its appearance, instead of merely keeping it under observation, the trouble would have been comparatively trifling. The chance was allowed to slip by, and now the Department seems to despair of eradication, aiming only at restriction to present area, and that not in a very energetic spirit I think the Department should stop this "observation" business and frlce some really practical steps. (1) Define the infected areas. (2) Compel all owners of cattle in this area to send in returns of all infected cattle stating what measures were taken to eradicate it and with what result.

(3) Form an estimate of what it would cost, to clean these herds, and have it done, no matter what the* cost. (4) Compel the erection of suitable yards for separate handling of each beast. .(5) Compel owners to clean their herds as was done /in the case of scab. (fi) Supply wash free of charge, defraying cost: out of cattle rate, but insi:-! on its complete eradication nndei heavv penalty. —I am, etc., JAMES SMITH.