Agricultural Conference.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7878, 21 July 1905, Page 3

Agricultural Conference.

A PAPER ON TUBERCULOSIS. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, July 20.

At tlie Agricultural Conference >li Reakei, Assistant-Chief Veterinarian, read a paper on "Equine Herri it ary L'nsoundness." Taking the colony as a Whole, be considered the position wis unsa'.islactory, and breeders ought to set about making a change. No stallion which was known to be unsound should be allowed to travel for service. His experience ol New Zealand taught him Hiat a farmer was too casual in such matters. Mr R. Reid (Canterbury) moved tliil tlie Government be asked to give premiums to owners of pure thoroughbreds and pure draught stallions, to enable stock owners 10 travel their horses in certain districts and serve a certain number of approved mares at a reduced fee. This was carried. Mr Stuckey moved that the Department of Agriculture be requested to open a register in the various centres of the colony in which entire horses shown to be free from hereditary diseases after examination by duly qualified veterinary surgeons should be entered on payment of a reasonable fee, certificate ol soundness to.be issued to the owners oi such animals.—Carried. Mr D. D. McFarlane moved tbat steps be taken to ascertain what is the best kind of bumble Ives to import, with a vh?w of fertilising the clovers of the colony.—Carried. Mr GilruHi, Chiel Veterinarian, read a paper on "Tuberculosis," in the course of which be urged stockowners to do what they could to prevent the spread of the scourge. The paper dealt at length with the relations ol the human and bovine tuberculosis. As far as tuberculosis is animals is,concerned, Nelson and Marlborough were the healthiest provinces. Oamaru came very close. Taraaaki was the worst. Dairying was the greatest Indirect cause' of the spread of the disease, because owners were always anxious to Keep milking cows to the last moment. The disease amongst pigs, which was most serious, was undoubtedly due to feeding on tubercular milk. Pasteurisation of skim milk sffould be made compulsory. Resolutions were passed as follows That local bodies in districts where small birds are a nuisance be compelled to purchase heads and eggs; that all land planted with approved forest trees should be exempt from rates ; that all areas of alluvial huid tbat have been dredged and worked out sawmill areas should be planted with forest trees ; tbat the Government be urged to encourage the extension ol telephones in rural districts iiihxt the Government be asked to abolish the sheep tax.