THE BLACKLEG MORTALITY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8172, 3 August 1906, Page 2

THE BLACKLEG MORTALITY.

MR GILRUTH CONTRADICTED. DEPARTMENTAL DIFFER. ENCES. Speaking to a Daily Nkws reporter on Thursday, Mr J. 1). Ritchie, Secretary for Agriculture, referred to our published report of an interview with Mr Gilruth, Chief Veterinarian The latter stated Ihut "whilst the Agricultural Department held the A r elcriuary Division responsible tor the success, or otherwise, of the inoculations, its ollicers have absolutely no control." Hi'Ritchie says this does not coincide with Mr Gilruth'B annual report for 1!)05, at page 175, where he says: "Mr Young, Government Veterinarian, supervise! the work, which was earned out chiefly by Inspectors Rowan, Deem and Budge, and Mr Glover, Government Veterinarian ; and they may be congratulated on the manner in which they have accomplished the vaccination of over 70,001) calves since the middle of December."

"There is nothing.whatever in the diyided authority story," said Mr Uiichie. "We arranged with Mr Gilruth, and he was instructed by myself to arrange the whole thing. He has directed the work from the very beginning. It is worth mentioning that the packets of vaccine sent out were supposed to contain fifty doses. When it was found tliey killed the calves the inspectors notified Mr Young, and the doses were reduced. The Department was notified, the vaccire withdrawn, and the future doses ret 1 need in i|uantity. I can't see any divided authority in that."

" AVho supplied the vaccine ?" asked the News man. , "It was supplied to the inspectors by Mr Young himself." " Do you mean the imported vaccine, or the New Zealand-made stuff ?"

" Mr Young issued it all.* In the first season the inoculations were carried out with imported vaccine, or blacklegoids. About the same number of calves were treated ea :h day then

as now, but there were very few deaths." Mr Ritchie mentioned thai during the present year one iu-peetor had inoculated 1,500 calves m one day, and no deaths were reported to him. At the same lime, he wis not going to advocate such rapid w irk. It was inadvisable to attempt so many. He could not see any groirul for complaint by (he fanners, f>r the deaths had only been about one per cent, of the beasts inoculated. "Do I understand," asked our reporter, " that the earlier inoeu'alions Were the more successful ? " " ono inspector vacillated

10,0i»0 calves and had i.ot a single death until he started to use the

Department's vaccine." Mr Ritchie repeated that the veterinary surgeons had had no better returns thm the inspectors, and mentioned that of 300 calves inoculated at Tikorangi about llirec weeks ago by one of th.; veterinary ollicers, ten had died. The stock inspectors had always received their instructions from the Veterinary Division, and acted accordingly. The final statements of Mr Gilruth, to the

effect that the inspectors used the same doses when they found the calves were dying; and that they had not notified the District Veterinary Surgeon, wore both income;t. The doses were reduced to half and quarter strength, with the knowledge and approval of the veterinary ollieer, Mr Young. " What about those syringes ? Are they faulty ?" asked the reporter. Mr Hitchic said the synng-s seemel to be alright (he first year. It was not until the new vuvine fro.n {h' Department p line into use tint there was any trouble. In uonchtsnu, s:'.id Mr Itilchie, the vaccine was nude by the Veterinary Division, p; eked and issued by its 0111.-ials, and use 1 under

instructions from that division. Ii face of these facts, the Secretary fo Agriculture linds it bird to agree wit

the st dement of Mr Gilrulh I hat the Veterinary Division hid n) control oyer the inoculations.