AND GOLDFIELDS REPORTER AND ADVERTISER. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1875. "MEASURES. NOT MEN."

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 434, 13 February 1875, Page 2

AND GOLDFIELDS REPORTER AND ADVERTISER. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1875. "MEASURES. NOT MEN."

Having about a fortnight ago given a summary of a paper on pleuro-pneu-monia in cattle, from papers submitted to a Conference of Inspectors of Stock for the several Australian Colonies, held in Sydney in November last, we then promised to do the same with the papers on scab in sheep. It appears from the paper of Air. Whyte, Chief Inspector of Tasmania, that obstacles were raised to remedial measures by those who believed in the spontaneous generation of seab — a theory which we had believed a past generation had disposed of • but there is nothing new under the sun, and it may tend to teach modesty to some of our would-be leaders of thought, that in this, as well as in some of the leading features of evolution, they are only wearing the cast-off garments of the French philosophers of the last century. It may be truly'said of philosophic theories, " As in a wheel, All sink to re-ascend." It appears that scab was almost universal in Tasmania no further back than the year 1869 ; whereas, at Ist November last, under the measures employed, there were not more than 10,000 infected sheep in all Tasmania. This improvement is traced to the passing of an Act which required "compulsory dipping, twice immediately after shearing, at an interval of not less than ten. nor moi-e than fourteen da3'S, in some reputed scab-destroying preparation; and the prevention of visilAy diseased sheep from travelling on the high ways, or being exposed to sale in me public yards." At first, licenses ttf clean were issued without charge ; then they were issued at £d per head ; and afterwards at 3d per head ; and now parties found in possession of scabbed sheep, in addition to the above fee, are liable to a fine of £50. The result of this Act was the speedy diminution of the disease, until, as we have seen, it has Nearly disappeared. The advantages of this improvement in the Tasmaniau flocks to their owners, Mr. White sets down at £153,000 per annum, which is detailed as follows :—: — 1. Increased quantity of .wool, say, 562,5001b5., or 6ozs. per sheep at Is4dr>erlb - - -£37,500 2. IncreasaJ value of present quantity, liking 5,000,0001b5. as an average, at 3d per lb - - 62,083 3. Cost of*dressing annually for tobacco, drugs, and additional labor in dressing under the old * system of spotting every few weeks - - - 13,500 I 4. Saving (if tlfe labor of 500 men at £50 each - - • 25,000 5. Increased number and value of fat sheep, say - - 10,000 6. Increased export of rams and ewes to the neighboring Colonies, say - - - 5,000 Total - £153,083 As to the cause of scab, the writer very clearly indicates his opinion as opposed to the theory of spontaneous generation, and so accounts for it as to lead to the hope of its entire extinction. v Nutwithstanding all that has been written on this subject, we are still in the dark as to the origin of the disease, which we have reason to believe existed in Italy in the early days of the Roman Empire. And I, think it is of small importance to us tfhat was its origin, when we know from the experience of half a century in New South Wales and over thirty veai's in Victoria that in the climatic conditions which exist in this part of the world, scabby sheep once freed from the disease never contract it again, unless from- contact . . r with diseased or infected animals, or from contact %ith places where such animals have recently been." The following receipt is given as . " a scab-destroying preparation" :: — X Take of flour of sulphur lOOlbs., 501bs of quick-lime (a. large proportion of it partially slacked.) Put these together in a boiler with lOOgals. of water, keep mixed by constantly stirring for about ten minutes, or unfciLa clear dark-brown orange-colored solution supervenes. Then mix lgal. of this solution with 3gals. of hot water, and make your dip or bath heated from lOOdeg. to 114deg. Fahrenheit, and plunge y on r sheep over head in it, keeping them swimming in it for about one minute ; when they are dry the cure is complete ; ; but to prevent risk of re-infection, and to.seoure a more perfect muster, a second dip after about teu clays, in' a bath one-half the above strength will render assurance doubly sure. A compulsory simultaneous dipping of all the sheep in Victoria during next January would save the > Colony thousands of pounds,and render Scab Inspectors and Boards of Advice, quite unnecessary." The only drawback in connexion with the use of , this dip is that the wool is slightly discolored j but the u&e of extra soap works such a change upon it, that a Mr. Sanderson declares that he can by this means get up his "wool in color perfect.'

We cannot allow a paragraph from the " New Zealand Herald," quoted by the " L»aily Times " of Wednesday, to p-iss; unchallenged. The " Herald " says f "Tuapeka i m anks amonjj our oldest goldfields, and the"re is not an inch of ground but has been thoroughly prospected years ago." The first part of this sentence no one will attempt ib* dispute, as the story of Gabriel Eeid's discovery in the Gully whicli beartf Ijis I

name is known to all ; but the statement that " theie is not an inch of the ground but has been thoroughly prospected years ago," is one of the most groundless assertions that could be made. So far as mere surface diggings are conceVned,no doubt a great portion of Tuapeka has been thoroughly prospected ; but as regards deep leads or reefs, it may be aliuost said that little or -no prospecting has been done in the district; — at all events, vvhat mayjjje said to have been done by the Wetberstoues Deep Shaft Committee and the Gabriels Gully Quartz Mining Co., only went to prove that were the ground thoroughly prospected, untold mines of wealth in all likelihood would be discovered. We have quartz lodes lying around us in every direction, which only require developing ; and as well might the '"New Zealand Herald" assert that Bendigo was thoroughly prospected when all its alluvial ground was exhausted, and its reefa abandoned many years ago, as to state that the Tuapeka district of to-day has been " thoroughly " prospected, and all its gold unearthed. The district, as has been forcibly remarked, has been no more- than " scratched ; " and we have no doubt, when the attention of some of our mining capitalists, who know the district well, is withdrawn from the Public Works schemes, which have engaged their attention for the past two years, they will direct their means towords the development of some of the neighboring reefs, in which they have the fulleso confidence. In the meantime, we would take this opportunity of urging upon the inhabitants to arouse themselves to their duty as regards united action in every object that will advance the material prosperity of the district.