The Daily News TUESDAY, APRIL 10. A BLACKLEG COMMISSION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8080, 10 April 1906, Page 2

The Daily News TUESDAY, APRIL 10. A BLACKLEG COMMISSION.

Of all the Commissions of Enquiry : which have been set up by the Gov- 1 eminent, the proposal that a Commission should enquire into the preval ence of blackleg amongst young cattle in Taranaki may be classed amongst the most unnecessary and ridiculous. First and foremost it is proposed to enquire into an alleged condition of things that does not exist in fact. Blackleg, as a disease, is not, as the telegram infers, prevalent as a scourge affecting the young cattle of Taranaki, Admittedly, a fow seasons ago, there was an outbreak of black leg that threatened to work havoc amor-gst the dairy herds of the province, but the vigorous measures for inoculation and isolation speedily checked its progress. When, a few weeks ago, we urgently directed attention to the sudden and alarming mortality in various districts, and aroused the Deportment to take immediate preventive measures, there was no question of a natural spread of the disease involved.

* * * * It needs no Commission of Enquiry to tell us, or the practical farmers of Taranaki, that the mortality whs occnsioned by some defect in the material or the methods of Govern ment inoculation. TJp till the occasion of the recent outbreak, inoculation had unquestionably demonstrated its efficacy in coping with the disease. The weight of evidence obtainable at the time of the late outbreak proved beyond doubt that something 'was wrong with the virus which was used by the Government officers, and it was also shown that the system of inoculating was defective. Many instances could be given where farmers in the affected districts, who relied on their own inoculating methods and used imported tabloids instead of Government injected vaccine, experienced no undue losses. The precautions which the Veterinary Department subsequently took for the inoculation of the remaining herds were proof enough, if such were wanting, that the previous methods were open to the gravest censure. It is also noticeable that since the precautionary measures were taken, the mortality has been reduced to a normal level. Commission or no Commission, wc are convinced that the Veterinary Department is thoroughly well aware of the causes of the temporary, though serious outbreak, and that Mr KeakSS.' report—provided that his instructions are to state his opinions freely and fully will provide all the information that a Commission could ever procure.

# # * o VVeke the Commission set up for tlie purpose of taking evidence as to tlie losses sustained by the farmers of the province owing to the effects of inoculation, with a view to the payment of just and reasonable compensation, we should heartily support it. But to propose to engage in a costly enquiry into a condition of things that with judicious treatment is a mere incident in the industry, verges on absurdity. On the other hand, as already stated, if it is intended that the Commission shall enquire into the extent of the losses occasioned by tlie recent outbreak, and the more grievous injury sustained by the introduction, through defective inoculation, of the disease into districts hitherto immune, the Commission will be welcomed . Meantime Taranaki is awaiting with considerable interest the publication of the departmental official report. If it is then found that the Department acknowledges its inability to account for the recent mortality, a Commission may be required to convey to the Government that which is, by mianiipoiis consent, the verdict of competent practical Taranaki farmers.