SCAB IN SHEEP. THE INTERCOLONIAL STOCK CONFERENCE. DISCUSSION ON SCAB IN NEW ZEALAND.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 422, 23 November 1889, Page 4

SCAB IN SHEEP. THE INTERCOLONIAL STOCK CONFERENCE. DISCUSSION ON SCAB IN NEW ZEALAND.

Di'Kixa tho sitting of the Intercolonial Stock Conference in Melbourne, Mr Tabart drew attention to a tclegiam published in the Melbourne papers from Brisbane, stating that Mr Forrest, in the Queensland Legislative Assembly, had referred to the Confeience, and pointed out bhab the quarantine question requirod watching with great care, as there was an outbreak of scab in New Zealand, and Ta&mania was not free from disease, llede-sired to ghe Mr Jb'orresfc'b statement a most emphatic denial. Thoie was no scab in Tasmania. That colony had bten pro claimed tree of scab for 8 years and 8 months?, and for 2 years previous to that proclamation the island was free iiom scab. Mr Cowan, the New Zealand dolegate, admitted that scab exi&tcd in New Zealand. The authorities had been doing their utmost to eradicate it, and the disease had now been concentrated in the Marlborough district. The great difficulty in dealing with the matter was through the wild sheep having contracted the disease. They inhabited the mountainous pares of the country, and could nob be easily tracked, bub they communicated tho scab to other Hocks. Huntsmen were sent out to follow these animals and shoot them. Mr Fasley confirmed Mr Cowan's statement. In order to starve the disease out tho Marlborough country was kept ior two years unstucked. At the end of that time, it was thought sate to stock the district again, but scab aftcrwaids made its appearance amongst a ilock and all those sheep v/cie killed. New Zealand was divided into six sheep districts, each of which was under an inspector with almost absolute poweife. They were doing their utmost to ewidicato the disease. Mr Cowan said that irom official report he was able to say that at piescnt there were nob more than 30,000 diseased sheep in New Zealand. Mr Bennent stated that from the fact that no progress had been made in diminishing the disease in New Zealand during the past three years, and because bho matter was &o serious to the other colonies, some expression of opinion ought to be given by the Confeience in reference to it. As he put it, the diminution oi the disease was only a matter of management. Thete should be no necessity for killine infected sheep to effect a cuie. The New Zealand Government should bo asked to take more decided steps to deal with the matter. Mr Pasley assured Mr Bennett that it was impossible to do more than was being done, owing to the mountainous character of the country. Mr Tabart said there was good reason to believe that scabby sheep were mo\cd about New Zealand without restriction, and this would, of course, disseminate the disease. Mr Bennett moved, "That this Conference requests the New Zealand Government to take moie eneigetic measures to eradicate the disease of scab, which still exists in some New Zealand districts." Mr Stirling seconded the motion. He said there must be some terrible laches on the part of tho Government in allowing the disease to continue so long. In the most mountainous country of Victoiia scab had been very quickly eradicated. Mr Handybide thought the resolution was rather strong. It was casting a slur upon the inspector 11 ! of New Zenland, which seemed hardly justified after the very fair explanation which had been ottered. In times past he had known districts in Victoria where scab had existed for yeais and years before it was eradicated, and thoso districts were not difficult to deal with. Ho would dissent from the resolution. Mr Cowan also considered the resolution was too strong. Theie was very stringent sheep legislation in New Zealand, and the best bhab could be done wa3 being done. Mr Pasley said that although not directly concerned in the infected district, he felt the resolution would be an insult to all the sheep inf-pectore. Mr Bennett remarked that it was not his intention to cast a slur on the inspectors, but if more energetic steps were not taken New Zealand would never be clean. Mr Biuce said tho other colonies wanted to get sheep irom New Zealand, and until that colony was declared clean they could not get any. The motion was carried by 8 to 1. Mr Biuce asked whether anyone knew whether scab existed in West Australia. It might be possible for the disease to spread over to this side of the continent. Mr Valentine said there was no communication between \Vest Australia and .South Au&tialia from sheep, except at Eucla, which was a perfectly safe place. Mr Tabart stated that a passenger on a steamer between Melbourne and Tasmania had told him in March last that scab existed on a station owned by him in West Australia. He believed, at the present time, that scab existed in that colony. At next sitting lie would be able to get the name of the station mentioned. The West Australian Government were asked to send delegates to the conference, but replied that they could not see their way to do so. It was decided to telegraph to West Australia for information as to whether scab now existed there.

The English man-of-war Sultan, it will be remembered, was recently sunk in the Mediterranean while under command of a member of the royal family, and under circumstances which denoted great negligence, to say the least. At first it was claimed that the s r essel was a total loss and could not by any possibility be saved. Finally it was decided to make the ellort, but no one, save an Italian firm, could be found with sufficient enterprise to undertake the job. The contract to raise the vessel was given to them at £50,000, and the job has just been satisfactorily completed for the comparatively small outlay of £10,000, thus leaving the contractor £40,000 to the good. The British officers who examined the vessel were gracious enough to acknowledge that the "work done by the Italians could not have been equalled by any divor in England."