STOCK INSPECTION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 81, 1 May 1909, Page 2

STOCK INSPECTION.

A CASK OF INTEREST TO !" FARMERS. "' t( By Telegraph.—Press Association Auckland, Last Night. '' A case of interest to farmers, drovers, '' and others interested in sheep and eat- "' tie sales was determined to-day by Mr. li. W. Dyer, S.M. In March last John " Russell Lang, of Mangere, farmer, was " charged on the information of W. E. '' Brown, Stock Inspector, with obstruct- " ing and hindering the latter in the exevcisc of his powers und duties as stock l ' inspector. The facts as adduced from 1' the evidence of tile Inspector were that on February Ilth, whilst inspecting " sheep in th c " Otahuliu saleyards, hie attention was drawn to the fact that the defendant was driving from thc yards l a number of rains which the Inspector J had not examined. The Inspector call- * ed upon defendant not to remove the sheep, but to hold them for inspection. , Lang refused to do so. Words ensued, and defendant drove the rams off despite the Inspector's demand and wnrn- , ing. To-day Mr Dyer gave judgment. This was to the effect that the Stock Act of • 1008 gave an inspector of stock the right , to detain sheep (or cattle) yarded in public saleyards until such inspector had inspected them for lice, ticks, or other diseases. There were no regulatiou gazetted under the Stock Act for the guidance of inspectors in matters of . detail, but the Magistrate was compelled . to llnd (though not entirely free from ( doubt) that th e general powers given ' inspector by the Act were wide enough to include the above. The minimum penalty prescribed by the Act. a fine of £2, was imposed, with costs.