THE BLACKLEG MORTALITY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8056, 24 February 1906, Page 2

THE BLACKLEG MORTALITY.

THE DEPARTMENT AHOUSED. CHIEF VETERINARIAN TAKES CHARGE. "CLOUDING THE CHARGES." l'Bll I'IUiSS ASSOCIATION. Wkm.ixutdx, February '2: l. The Vetmary division of the Departini'iil of Agriculture ha* received no delimit' reports from infected areas in Tiirnnaki regarding the alleged heavy mortality after inoeiilation for black-

It has liL-i-ii deeideel, however, Unit the Chief Yelevmunwi shall personally I direct the remainder of the inoculations of calves, so that he may be on the spot in ease of mortality to make post mortem examinations. The report that inoculation lias been stopped is untrue. From the beginning of next week about 0000 calves will be inoculated. What has happened is that the Chief Veterinarian has asked for all material in hand and syringes to be sent back to Wellington for examination. The virus was made at the Wallacevilli; laboratory under special instructions from Professor Salmon, head of the United Stales Vctinary Bureau. '

Experiments made with some of the virus that was supposed to be bad has proved it to be quite good. [lt cannot be doubted the above statement was communicated to the press in good faith, but in justice to ourselves we must take exception to certain of the sweeping assertions therein made. If the Department has not heard of definite cases of mortality after inoculation, the local officers of the Department have been guilty of a serious dereliction of duty, and this wo absolutely refuse to believe, Last week the Provincial Executive of the Farmers' Union, sitting in Hawera, passed a strong motion drawing the Minister of Agriculture's attention to the outbreak. Has the veterinary division not received this intelligence 't Only last Thursday, Captain Young, of the local veterinary staff, vaccinated a number of calves at Inglewood—in order, we understand, to personally test the effect—and a number of these calves quickly succumbed. Is it reasonable to suppose that Captain Youug, who is at present in Wellington, did not report those "definite" cases. Further, we have known for some days that a well known farmer in the Lop perton district, several of whose most valuable animals died after inoculation, reported the matter to the Department, and asked that an investigali.u should beheld on his farm. These are only a few instances of the m my we have by us, that leave room for serious doubt as to the accuracy of the above telegram. If more detailed information is wanted, however. Hint will he supplied in the course of a day or so, when the formidable list of deaths now being compiled by branches of the Farmers' Union, are forwarded. AVe should also like lo know how the report thai inoculation was stopped, is untrue, in face of the fact that all vaccine and syringes have been called in lor examination. As to the virus, it is reassuring to learn that after analysis, it has been found to he quite good, but the statement is hard lo reconcile with the sequels b its use. '.